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BOYS OF THE BORDER 


By Mary P. Wells Smith. 


THE YOUNG PURITANS SERIES. 

The Young Puritans of Old Hadley. 

The Young Puritans in King Philip’s War. 

The Young Puritans in Captivity. 

The Young and Old Puritans of Hatfield. 

4 vols. Illustrated. Ifimo. Decorated cloth, $1.25 
per volume. The set. in box. $5.00. 

THE JOLLY GOOD TIMES SERIES. 

Jolly Good Times ; or. Child Life on a Farm. 

Jolly Good Times at School ; also. Some Times not 
so Jolly. 

The Browns. 

Their Canoe Trip. 

Jolly Good Times at Hackmatack. 

More Good Times at Hackmatack. 

Jolly Good Times To-day. 

A Jolly Good Summer. 

8 vols. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, gilt, $1.25 per 
volume. The set, uniformly bound in cloth, gilt, 
in box, $10.00. 

Four on a Farm. Illustrated. 12mo. $1.50. 


THE OLD DEERFIELD SERIES. 

The Boy Captive of Old Deerfield. Illustrated. 
12mo. $1.25 

The Boy Captive in Canada. Illustrated. 12mo. $1.25. 
Boys of the Border. Illustrated. 12mo. $1.25. 
Others in preparation. 







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“Through primeval forest, as yet untouclied l)y the hand of man.' 
Fuontispieck. iiee page 46. 



BOYS OF THE BORDER 


BY 


MARY P. WELLS SMITH 


AUTHOR OF “ THE YOUNG PURITANS SERIES,” “ THE JOLLY GOOD TIMES SERIES,” 
‘‘THE OLD DEERFIELD SERIES,” ‘‘MISS ELLIS’S MISSION,” ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED BY CH. GRUNWALD 


B O STO N : 

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 

1907 


^UrfRARY of CONGRESS 

I ^wo Copies Rocetvod 

SEf- 26 190? 

^ Copynght Entry 

1 CUio^ ^ 

I COPY ^ 


V' 


Copyright, jgoy. 

By Little, Brown, and Company. 
All rights reserved. 

Published September, 1907 



ORIFFITH'STILLINGS PRESS, BOSTON, MASS., U.S.A. 

The University Press, Cambridge, Mass., U. S. A. 


TO 


HON. JOHN A. AIKEN, 

CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT 
OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Judge Aiken’s deep interest in everything relating to the early 
history of our locality, especially matters pertaining to the border 
forts, is well known to his friends. The author is much indebted 
to him for the loan of Perry’s “ Origins in Williamstown,” and 
many other valuable historic works bearing on the period of this 
story, and also for friendly counsel and suggestions. 



PREFACE 



iHIS book, the third volume of ^^The Old 


Deerfield Series,” narrates events in the 
Deerfield Valley during the French and Indian 
wars, from 1746 to 1755, especially those con- 
nected with the line of forts along the north- 
west border of Massachusetts, and north, up 
the Connecticut. The series of historical stories 
by the author, beginning with “The Young 
Puritans Series,” and continued in “The Old 
Deerfield Series,” is intended practically to 
cover the history of Western Massachusetts 
from the time of King Philipps War down to 
the Revolutionary period, to which point the 
present volume brings the history. 

This is the first attempt, in the author^s 
knowledge, to tell the tale of the border forts 
in story form. While no very startling events 
are depicted, yet the narrative can but be stir- 
ring, showing as it does the high faith, unflinch- 
ing courage and determination of the plain, 


Vlll 


PREFACE. 


everyday people who were the first settlers, and 
the hardships they endured in the early settle- 
ment of this region. Hon. George Sheldon, Presi- 
dent of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Asso- 
ciation, in his address at the dedication of 
Captain Rice^s monument, very truly said of 
the men of the time: 

They were trained in Indian warfare — 
hardy and bold, wise in woodcraft, inured to 
the hardships of marching and scouting in the 
forests, and prompt to the rescue on every 
alarm.” 

The descendants of the men and women 
whose early struggles are here narrated are 
scattered all over our country, its very salt 
and savor; wherever found, it is safe to say, 
retaining some worthy flavor of the good old 
stock. 

M. P. W. S. 

Greenfield, Mass., 

June 6, 1907. 


CONTENTS 


Chaptee Pace 

I. A Band of Pioneeks 1 

II. A Sunday’s Rest 15 

III. The Story of the Council 29 

IV. On to the Westward 41 

V. The New Home 59 

VI. Lost 72 

VII. To Mill and to Meeting 83 

VIII. Some Visitors 104 

IX. Fishing at Salmon Falls 117 

X. Exciting Rumors 133 

XI. A New Undertaking 149 

XII. Snowshoe Scouting 172 

XIII. Good News 209 

XIV. The Cold River Trail 223 

XV. At Fort Massachusetts 238 

XVI. War in Earnest 248 

XVII. The Departure 264 

XVIII. Fort Massachusetts Attacked ... 281 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter Page 

XIX. The Surrender 295 

XX. At the Bars 306 

XXI. Closing Events of the War 325 

XXII. Return of the Rices 341 

XXIII. The End 356 

Appendix A 373 

Appendix B 374 

Appendix C 374 

Appendix D 375 

Appendix E 376 

Appendix F 377 

Appendix G 379 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


“ Through primeval forest, as yet untouched by the ^ 
HAND OF MAN ” Frontispiece 

Map Showing the Line of Border Forts in 1744-46 . y 

Facing page 1 

“Sylvanus had fatally wounded the deer” . . Page 77 / 

Old Fort Shirley 162/^ 

“Shaggy white with snow, the scouts plodded reso- 
lutely ON ” 201 

“On all sides the fort now swarmed the enemy” . 328 


Plan of Taylor Fort 


347 





Map showing the line of Border Forts, in 1744-6. 

At this time, Deerfield included the present towns of Sherburn, Greenfield. Gill, 
and Conway; Bernardston (or Falltown) included most of Leyden; and no townships were 
laid out west of Cole rain and Charkmont AH was wilderness. 



BOYS OF THE BORDER 


CHAPTER I. 

A BAND OF PIONEERS. 

I T was spring in Deerfield, a lovely spring day 
late in April, 1743. The snow had vanished, 
save a few patches still lying in shaded gorges 
on Mount Pocumtuck or on the long range of hills 
to the westward. The grass on the meadows 
was fast growing green, and the buds on the 
trees, swelling in the warm sunshine, were 
coquetting with impatient mankind, coyly de- 
laying their much expected opening from day 
to day. 

Deerfield farmers had been improving the 
fine weather, carting out on the meadows, 
beginning to plough in certain favored locali- 
ties, everywhere preparing for the spring plant- 
ing. The air was fragrant with the smell of 
new grass and fresh earth, the song birds were 
returning, and all the world was glad with the 
1 


2 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


hopeful sense of new life and opportunity that 
conies with the spring. 

Young Jonathan Hoyt, after his hard day’s 
work on the meadows with his father, was 
minded to have a little sport before nightfall. 
Bat and ball in hand, he hurried southward, 
entering the old stockade, whose gates, in these 
times of peace, decayed and ruined (as were the 
walls), hung wide open. This Friday afternoon 
the sun was already sinking low over the west- 
ern hills. 

Passing Thomas Wells’s house, he saw 
Eleazer and Ebenezer Wells out by the corn- 
house, busily at work. 

^^What are you doing, boys?” called Jona- 
than. 

Dressing a woodchuck skin,” answered 
Eleazer. “ Ebenezer ’s had good luck; caught a 
nice, fat woodchuck, and we ’re going to dry 
the skin for whiplashes.” 

Can’t you come down to the Arms boys’ for 
a game of ball? Elijah says there ’s a nice dry 
spot in the street, near his house, and asked 
me to come down to-night. There ’s plenty of 
time for a game before supper.” 

The Wells boys hurriedly finished nailing 
their woodchuck skin to the corn-house door, 
and joined Jonathan, Eleazer saying: 


A BAND OF PIONEERS. 


3 


'^It will seem good to play ball again. We 
have not had a game since Thanksgiving Day.” 

^^No,” said Jonathan, “winter set in so early. 
Deep snow fell right after Thanksgiving, and 
weVe only just seen the last of it.” 

Agrippa Wells, a little fellow of five, ran 
after his big brothers, crying : 

“Wait! Wait for me, Eleazer! I want to 
go too.” 

But here his mother came to the door, saying : 

“No, no, Agrippa. The boys donT want 
you. Come in now and get your bread and 
milk. Tis near trundle-bed tkne for small 
folk;” and Agrippa had to go reluctantly in- 
doors. 

As the boys walked on, they met young Dr. 
Thomas Williams riding in from the south, his 
horse, his saddlebags, the long leggings that 
protected his trousers, all bespattered with 
mud. 

“ I wonder who ^s sick,” said Eleazer, as the 
doctor trotted briskly on to the north. 

“Some of the Allens down at the Bars,” said 
Jonathan. “Dr. Williams told my father he 
had to ride down to the Bars this afternoon, 
mud or no mud. He said something about 
Samuel Allen, but whether it is father or son 
that’s ill, father did not understand.” 


4 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


The boys were now opposite John Nims’s 
house, and Daniel, youngest son of John, a boy 
of thirteen, who happened to be setting forth 
for the store of Capt. Elijah Williams across 
the training field, was not slow to perceive that 
the older boys had some fun on hand. 

“Halloo, boys,’’ he cried. “Where are you 
going?” 

“Never you mind,” said Jonathan, not in- 
clined to be bothered with what he would prob- 
ably have dubbed “ trundle-bed trash.” 

“Oh, you can’t fool me!” said young Dan. 
“You’re going down to the Armses’ to play ball, 
that ’s where you ’re going. I ’ll be down in a 
minute.” 

Away ran Daniel across the training field 
to the store on the corner of the lane leading 
down to the ford, rushing through his errand 
as rapidly as the dignity of Captain Williams 
permitted, and then off he tagged after the big 
boys, caring little whether they wanted him 
or not. 

When the boys reached Samuel Wells’s house, 
young David Wells was just driving an ox cart 
into the yard. To the boys’ invitation to join 
them, he replied : 

“ All right. I ’ll be down as quick as I get 
these oxen unyoked.” 


A BAND OF PIONEERS. 5 

Passing Eleazer Hawkses, Seth Hawks was 
also pressed into service, a willing recruit. 

We Ve enough now, with the Arms boys,^^ 
said Jonathan. 

William Arms lived at the south end of Deer- 
field street, around the corner to the west, his 
house facing south, a fair and sunny spot for a 
dwelling, with a sightly outlook over the broad 
meadows and up to the mountains each side. 
His boys were such a troop they were generally 
spoken of collectively as ^Hhe Arms boys.^^ 
They were now out on the dry patch at the 
south end, knocking and tossing a ball about 
among themselves. 

“Now, Phineas,’’ said Elijah, the oldest, as 
he saw his friends Jonathan and the rest 
approaching, “you and the twins will have to 
get out. We big boys want this place for our 
game.’^ 

“I don’t want to go away,” said Phineas. 
“This is the best place. We want to play as 
much as you do.” 

“ I can’t help that. You ’ll have to go,” said 
Elijah, with all the authority of an older brother. 

“Why don’t you have a game of your own, 
down in front of our house?” asked Thomas 
Arms. “ It ’s plenty dry enough there. Look, 
there come Daniel Nims and Abner Hawks 


6 


BOYS OF TPIE BORDER. 


now, tagging along after the big boys. They ^11 
help you out.” 

Abner Hawks was a boy of eleven, son of 
Sergeant John Hawks. Living next door to 
his cousin Seth, he had readily accepted 
DaniePs invitation to join in the fun. 

The sight of Dan Nims and Abner Hawks 
reconciled Phineas and the Arms twins, David 
and Jonathan, to their exclusion from the game 
of the elder boys. As Abner had a fine ball of 
his own, Daniel and Phineas were the more will- 
ing to overlook the fact that he was younger 
than they. 

^^Did you bring your ball, Abner?” cried 
Phineas. That ’s good. Come on over by my 
house, and we will have a game of our own.” 

The south end” soon presented an animated 
scene, with boys tossing and batting balls, 
vaulting fences, leaping the brook, scampering 
here, there, and everywhere in pursuit of their 
balls, with loud shouts and laughter. 

In the midst of the fun, another boy on 
horseback was seen briskly trotting along the 
meadow road from the south. 

There comes Oliver Amsden,” said Phineas. 
“ Let ’s get him to play with us. Oliver,” he 
cried, as the horse drew near, get off and help 
us out. We need one more boy. You canT 


A BAND OF PIONEERS. 7 

get in with Jonathan and Elijah. Come on, 
Oliver.^’ 

like nothing better,’^ said Oliver, look- 
ing rather wistfully at the sport, for he lived 
down at the Bars, two miles below the vil- 
lage. The wide meadows surrounding Deer- 
field were fenced in, with gates or bars where 
the road passed through. In the fall, after the 
crops were gathered, the cattle, allowed to run 
at large during the summer in the woods on 
Mount Pocumtuck, were driven into this enclos- 
ure, to pasture until the coming of snow obliged 
their owners to put them up in barns for the 
winter. Woe to the careless boy who should 
chance to leave gate open or bars down! The 
fine imposed would certainly cost him some of 
the precious hoard of shillings he had saved 
from sale of fox or rabbit fur. 

Only two families were settled at the Bars, 
a little below the southern entrance to the 
meadow, those of Samuel Allen and John 
Amsden. It was an isolated situation. There 
were no boys of Oliver’s age in the two families, 
and he would greatly have enjoyed a good 
game of ball with the others, but he said : 

No, I can’t stop. Little Sam Allen ’s pretty 
sick. Dr. Williams fears it is the throat dis- 
temper, and he asked me to ride up to his house 


8 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


for a particular kind of liniment that he did 
not happen to have in his saddlebags.’^ 

That’s too bad,” said Phineas. 

“I ’d love to stop and play awhile,” said 
Oliver, ^^but I must hurry back with the lini- 
ment.” 

Being a human boy, he could not resist rein- 
ing in his horse and stopping a minute, after 
he had rounded the corner, to watch the older 
boys’ game. Seth Hawks was making a fine 
run with the ball, encouraged by loud shouts of 
“Go it, Seth! That’s it. Good, good!” as 
Seth reached the goal in triumph ahead of 
Ebenezer Wells, his opponent. 

The sun was now disappearing behind the 
mountain, and Eleazer said: 

“This game will have to be the last.” 

At that moment Abner Hawks cried : 

“Jonathan! Eleazer! Look, look! See 
what’s coming!” 

The boys, looking where Abner pointed, saw 
coming far down the meadow road a company 
of horseback riders, driving before them a 
small herd of cattle. The horses seemed heavily 
laden, and walked slowly, as if weary. 

“I wonder who such a troop of travellers as 
that can be, and where they come from,” said 
Ebenezer. 


A BAND OF PIONEERS. 9 

Perhaps they come from the Bayl’^ said 
Eleazer. 

A tired dog, head and tail down, jogged 
soberly along beside the tall, fine-looking man 
who seemed the leader of the party. 

must run for home,” said Jonathan Hoyt, 

and try to get a bite to eat before these travel- 
lers arrive. I shall have to help put up those 
horses, and Pm hungry as a bear after our 
game of ball.” 

And away he ran, for Lieut. Jonathan Hoyt, 
Jonathan’s father, kept tavern, assisted by his 
oldest son, David. 

The older boys now hastened home, but the 
younger set still tarried, full of an irresistible 
curiosity to see who these travellers might be. 
The coming of strangers from the outside world, 
especially if from the Bay (as Boston locality 
was called), was always an event of interest to 
the people of this remote frontier settlement. 
Often the travellers brought letters or tidings 
from distant friends, or the latest news from 
^^home,” as England was still called, or per- 
haps a few copies of the Boston News Letter^ 
welcome even if weeks old. Deerfield’s only 
link with the outside world was furnished by 
horseback riders. 

The Hoyts were thrown into some excite- 


10 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ment when Jonathan came in, announcing a 
troop of travellers on the way. As the riders 
drew near enough to permit faces to be dis- 
tinguished through the fast gathering dusk, 
Lieutenant Hoyt exclaimed: 

I declare, it is Capt. Moses Rice and family ! 
He told me last fall, when he passed through 
on his way to Rutland, that he intended, God 
willing, to bring his family up this spring, and 
actually settle on the lands he has purchased 
to the westward, out in the Hoosac Mountains, 
and here they are!’’ 

^^Well, well, we must fly around, and get a 
nice hot supper ready, for they will be tired 
and hungry after such a jaunt,” said Mrs. Hoyt. 
^^Come, Nabby,” she called to her daughter, 
don’t stand idling. There is plenty for us 
both to do. I ’m glad I put on a big pot of 
beans this morning.” 

Caesar, the Hoyts’ negro slave, was also 
pressed into active service. 

As the leader of the band, a tall, strong, 
resolute looking man, rode up to the door. 
Lieutenant Hoyt gave him hearty greeting. 

^^So here you are. Captain, with all your 
family. Welcome to Deerfield, Mrs. Rice. You 
must be tired after such a journey.” 

^^We are indeed,” said Mrs. Rice, as Hoyt 


A BAND OF PIONEERS. 


11 


led her horse to the horse-block and aided her 
to dismount. '' We were all most thankful 
when we rode in at the Bars below, and 
saw the smoke of Deerfield houses rising in 
the distance. Poor little Artemas nearly fell 
off old Dolly^s back, he was so tired and 
sleepy.” 

Artemas, a boy of nine, rode a steady old 
mare, sitting astride a load of bedclothes and 
other effects strapped to her back, and tired 
enough did he look. But he said stoutly: 

I ^m more hungry than sleepy. I could eat 
raw venison, I am so starved.” 

^^Well, come right in, and the women will 
soon have supper on. My sons will care for 
your horses.” 

The Rices dismounted. Besides the captain, 
Mrs. Rice, and Artemas, there were two sons, 
Aaron, a youth of eighteen, and Sylvanus, a 
boy of fourteen, and two girls, Dinah, a tall, 
fair maiden of sixteen, and Tamar, a girl of 
eleven; a fine looking, bright, healthy group 
of young people. The cap taints oldest son, 
Samuel, had remained behind for the present 
in Rutland, expecting to join his father later. 

The tired horses pricked up their ears in 
eager animation, when they were unloaded and 
taken into the barn, where they well knew that 


12 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


rest and plenty of sweet hay and oats awaited 
them, after their long toil over rough roads, at 
the best but little more than paths. The Rices 
had come from Rutland in the eastern part of 
the colony, by the Bay Path to Hadley, stop- 
ping over night at Brookfield, and again at 
Hadley. 

The weary travellers, lame and sore from 
their long ride, welcomed the summons to 
supper. The baked pork and beans, Mrs. 
Hoyt^s hot brown bread and sweet butter, the 
mugs of hot flip that Lieutenant Hoyt skil- 
fully prepared, all were appreciated. 

Hardly had Artemas finished eating, when 
he belied his own words by falling fast asleep 
in his chair, his head sunk on his breast. 

^^See that poor boy,” said his mother ten- 
derly. ^^We must contrive somehow to get 
him upstairs to bed.” 

“Do you continue your journey to-morrow?” 
asked Mrs. Hoyt. 

“No. We planned to rest here over the 
Sabbath, if you can accommodate such a troop 
of us so long, and proceed on Monday,” said 
Mrs. Rice. 

“Deerfield will furnish our only opportunity 
for religious privileges hereafter,” said Captain 
Rice. “My wife is tired from the breaking up 


A BAND OF PIONEERS. 


13 


at Rutland, the packing, and the trip. We 
both felt it would help us to hear one of Parson 
Ashley’s good sermons, worship with you all, 
and rest quietly here over the Sabbath, before 
we turn our faces toward the wilderness. We 
shall go on our way with fresh heart Monday 
morning.” 

“We will gladly keep you,” said Mrs. Hoyt, 
“only I cannot furnish beds for all. I must 
ask your older sons if they are willing to sleep 
out, at a neighbor’s. Your father can accom- 
modate them, can he not. Freedom?” she asked 
a young girl who had run in, ostensibly to 
“help” the Hoyts, but really out of curiosity 
to see who the newcomers might be. Her 
father, Thomas French, the village blacksmith, 
like others of the neighbors, often helped the 
Hoyts by taking travellers to lodge, when the 
little hostelry was overcrowded. 

“Oh, yes,” said Freedom, blushing as all 
eyes were thus directed to her. “I know he 
will. I will run home now and tell mother 
some one is coming.” 

“I will go along with you,” said Aaron, “for 
I am nearly as far gone with sleep as Artemas.” 

And so Aaron Rice and Sylvanus, escorted 
by Freedom French, went out, and the rest of 
the Rice family were not long in seeking their 


14 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


welcome beds. Delicious was the sense of re- 
pose after the long day^s jolting as they sank 
into the soft beds of pigeon feathers, and for- 
got all weariness, all anxieties, in sweet, re- 
freshing sleep. 


CHAPTER II. 


A SUNDAY^S REST. 

S ATURDAY Captain Rice was busy, look- 
ing after goods and chattels that he and his 
sons had brought up the previous year and stored 
in Deerfield. It would cost them more than one 
long trip to Deerfield and return before all 
these belongings could be transported to his 
new home among the western hills. 

Mrs. Rice was only too glad to rest quietly 
during the day, while her children made the 
acquaintance of some of the Deerfield young 
people and rambled around to see the village, 
pleased with the novelty and change, like all 
young people, quite ready to forget the things 
that are behind in pressing on towards those 
that lie before. 

Sunday was a typical April day; clouds drift- 
ing across the sky often sending down gentle 
showers; the sky blue, the sunlight warm and 
caressing, between the showers. 

^^Fine growing weather this,’^ said Lieuten- 
ant Hoyt at the breakfast table. 


16 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


These showers will help green my mead- 
ows/’ said Captain Rice. have some fine 
fertile acres of open meadow land along the 
Deerfield in my new purchase, as good land as 
the sun ever shone on.” 

“I must say I have often wondered what 
could have tempted you to seek a home 
out there in Boston Township No. 1, up 
among the western mountains, so remote from 
any settlement,” said Mrs. Hoyt. told the 
captain last year, Mrs. Rice, when he and his 
sons stopped over here, going to and from his 
new land, that, were I his wife, it would take 
strong arguments to persuade me to go up 
there to live. I hardly thought you would con- 
sent to going there at present, with your family 
of children.” 

^^The captain thinks it is best,” said Mrs. 
Rice, as if that settled the matter. But her 
anxious expression showed that her wifely ac- 
quiescence had cost her some struggle and 
many forebodings. 

Our two daughters, who married Capt. John 
Burk and Ebenezer Sheldon, went with their 
husbands three years ago to start a new settle- 
ment at Falltown, about ten miles to the north 
of us,” said Mrs. Hoyt. “That seemed hazard- 
ous enough, and I have worried more than a 


A SUNDAY^S REST. 17 

little about them. But their risk is as nothing 
compared to yours.” 

“A man with a family coming on,” said 
Captain Rice, ^^must look ahead. The desir- 
able lands around the older settlements are now 
largely taken up, especially in the eastern part 
of the province. By striking out into the wil- 
derness farther to the west, I was able to secure 
at low price lands that, when improved, will 
enable me amply to provide for my children. 
We have had eighteen years of peace now, and 
I apprehend no danger from Indians, unless, by 
ill fortune, war should break out again between 
France and the mother country. These Span- 
ish troubles look a little ominous. But I pray 
war may be averted.” 

“Since the great council with the Indians 
held here by Governor Belcher eight years 
ago,” said Lieutenant Hoyt, “we have felt well 
assured of peace. True, the Indians who come 
in here trading sometimes, when they have 
had too much rum, make ugly threats of what 
they will do, in case of another war. But our 
government is trying to keep a hold on them, 
in various ways. The trading post at Fort 
Dummer, where our Joseph Kellogg (he was, 
like myself, one of the captives taken from 
Deerfield in 1704) acts as interpreter and 


18 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


truck-master, has done much to cement the 
friendship between us and the Indians. The 
Indians are not slow to see that they get better 
goods and better terms there than in trafficking 
their furs with the Dutch at Albany.” 

“Were you an Indian captive, Lieutenant 
Hoyt?” asked Sylvanus. 

“Yes, I know all about the Indians. I lived 
with them until I was almost in danger of be- 
coming one myself.” 

“Jonathan can talk Indian still like a regu- 
lar Mohawk,” said Mrs. Hoyt. “His old 
master, Nannageskung, used to come down 
from Canada to visit us, now and then, as long 
as he lived.” 

“If all Indians were as decent as Nanna- 
geskung we need have little fear of them,” 
said Lieutenant Hoyt. “Though, after all, an 
Indian is always an Indian still, at the bottom. 
I would nT have trusted even Nannageskung 
if he had heard the war whoop.” 

“Another war with the French and Indians 
would be the worst calamity that could befall 
us,” said the captain. “Let us hope the home 
government will not bring it upon us.” 

Captain Rice had been an active and promi- 
nent citizen of Rutland, Mass., where he was 
captain of a cavalry company. In 1741 he had 


A SUNDAY^S REST. 


19 


bought twenty-two hundred acres of land in the 
valley of the upper Deerfield, at a township 
recently granted to Boston, called Boston 
Township No. 1.^ During the summer of 1742 
he and his sons had cleared some of the land, 
hewing strong timbers from the primeval giants 
of the forest laid low by their axes, and build- 
ing from them a log house. Now the captain 
was on his way, with his family, to settle and 
live on his recent purchase. 

When the notes of the church bell were 
heard solemnly echoing over the meadows and 
back from the mountains, all persons under the 
roof of Lieutenant Hoyt started for meeting, as 
indeed did every inhabitant of Deerfield, young 
or old, able, as the saying was, “to get from 
the bed to the fire.” 

“Your meeting-house is truly a goodly struc- 
ture, especially for a frontier town that has 
suffered so sorely in the Indian wars,” said 
Captain Rice, as they neared the church, which 
stood on the training field or common, on the 
west side of the street, facing Mount Pocumtuck 
and the sunrise. 

1 In 1735, three townships were granted to the town of Boston, 
to be laid out “in the unappropriated lands of the Province.’^ 
These were known as “ Boston Township No. 1 ” (Charlemont), 
“Boston Township No. 2” (Colerain), and “Boston Township 
No. 3,” at Pontoosuc (Pittsfield). 


20 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“What a handsome weathercock and ball!^^ 
exclaimed Dinah, gazing up in admiration at 
the glittering rooster turning and twisting in 
the breeze on top a large gilt ball, surmounting 
the steeple, which rose from the centre of the 
high pitched roof. 

“We think it rather creditable for a country 
town like ours,’^ said Lieutenant Hoyt com- 
placently. “I was commissioned to purchase 
it when the church was built, in 1729, and paid 
twenty good pounds for it in Boston.^^^ 

The meeting-house was nearly square, with 
three doors, one in front, one each on the north 
and south sides. As the Hoyts and Rices 
turned towards the north entrance they saw 
Parson Ashley, stately in wig, cocked hat, and 
bands, ascending the front steps. Madam Ash- 
ley on his arm, both bowing with dignified 
courtesy right and left to their parishioners as 
they entered the elaborately decorated front 
door. 

The Rices looked around with much interest 
on the interior of the church, after they were 
seated on the benches that served for seats, 
the men one side the house, the women on the 

'The old weathercock still surmounts the “Brick Church” 
steeple in Deerfield, as Sheldon says, “keeping watch and ward 
over the shifting wind, having seen the generations of men come 
and go for more than one hundred and sixty years.” 


A Sunday’s rest. 


21 


other. Nabby Hoyt led Dinah and Tamar up- 
stairs into the women’s gallery, while Jonathan 
escorted the Rice boys into the gallery on the 
men’s side, where sat a vigilant tithingman 
armed with a long rod. He looked so stern 
and important, and eyed Sylvanus and Arte- 
mas so keenly, as strange boys, that Artemas 
blushed and felt guilty, as if already detected 
playing in meeting. In a back corner of the 
gallery sat the negro slaves belonging to vari- 
ous Deerfield families. Here sat Mrs. Ashley’s 
Jin and Csesar, Lieutenant Hoyt’s Csesar, the 
Wellses’ Luce and ’Bijah, Madam Hinsdale’s 
Chloe and Noble, Mescheek, Pompey, the Shel- 
dons’ Coffee and Sue, and several other negroes. 

The Rices were especially interested in the 
meeting-house, for henceforth this was to be 
their church. And they watched the people 
too as they entered with lively interest, for 
these were to be their future neighbors, as far 
as dwellers in the wilderness could be said to 
have neighbors. There were only a few pews 
in the meeting-house, built against the wall, 
under the galleries. Parson Ashley walked up 
the aisle to the west end, seated his wife in one 
of these pews, assigned to her and other digni- 
taries, and then ascended the steps to the high 
pulpit. 


22 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


There no pulpit in Boston grander than 
that, I know,” whispered Tamar to Dinah. 

'' ’Sh,” said Dinah. “The tithingman will 
point at you, or perhaps rap, if he see you whis- 
pering in meeting.” 

No wonder Tamar admired the pulpit. It 
was brave with panel work, painted a dark 
olive green, the whole interior lined with green 
baize, a handsome cushion of the same support- 
ing Bible and hymnbook, and an imposing 
sounding board, also painted olive green, over- 
hanging the whole. Behind the pulpit was a 
large window draped with green baize curtains 
caught back in heavy folds. 

Under the pulpit, in the deacons^ seat, facing 
the congregation, sat the two deacons, looking 
down on the people with a dignity second only 
to that of Parson Ashley. On the desk stood 
an hourglass, which Parson Ashley turned 
twice ere the service was over. He read long 
chapters from the Bible, made a long prayer, 
and gave out two hymns of many verses, sung 
with much spirit by choir and people. In the 
negro pew the dark faces shone with delight 
as the slaves poured out their souls in song, 
their rich voices mellowed by a plaintive, minor 
quality which seemed to express the sufferings of 
their race. Then all settled down for the sermon. 


A SUNDAY^S REST. 


23 


Parson Ashley preached a discourse of six- 
teen heads, wherein the sins of the people were 
vigorously denounced and driven home, and 
the probable wrath of God freely predicted. 
The people sat serenely under this, too well 
accustomed to such denunciations in the preach- 
ing of the time to be greatly affected. 

Artemas, not yet fully rested after his long 
ride, fell fast asleep as Parson Ashley^s voice 
went on and on. Soon he was wakened by a 
not over-gentle rap on the head from the long 
rod wielded by the vigilant tithingman. 

Who ’s hitting me? ” muttered Artemas, half 
waking, doubling up his fists. 

Sylvanus, blushing, hushed Artemas, now 
quite awake, and much frightened at having 
spoken out in meeting, while the other boys in 
the gallery, delighted at this little episode in 
the dry service, furtively nudged each other 
with twinkling eyes, yet careful not to smile, 
lest they too incur the tithingman’s wrath. 

The girls, it is to be feared, found a degree of 
relief during the sermon in studying the brave 
attire of some of the Deerfield dames, fine in 
brocade dresses expanded over hoops, with 
pointed bodices and elbow sleeves ending in 
ruffles, in gazing down on the scarlet or flowered 
hoods, the silk pelisses or pelerines, of which 


24 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


their seats in the gallery gave them an excel- 
lent view. 

During the short nooning a cold luncheon 
was served, and then all again returned to the 
meeting-house for a second service. Soon after 
this ended, Mrs. Hoyt served an early hot 
supper, of baked pork and beans and an Indian 
pudding, that had been put into the brick oven 
Saturday. Every one enjoyed the supper with 
hearty appetite and a sense of duty done, and 
every one was willing to see the sun set, except 
perhaps Mrs. Rice, whose constant underlying 
thought was, “To-morrow we begin our journey 
into the wilderness.^’ 

With sundown the rigor of Sunday w^as 
relaxed, and it was allowable to exchange visits, 
and talk on worldly topics. A number of the 
Deerfield people dropped in to call on the Rices. 
The men gathered in the barroom, the women 
in the large sitting-room, while the young people 
scattered about in different directions outdoors. 

Phineas Arms and his twin brothers, with 
Abner and John Hawks, came to get Artemas 
to walk out with them. 

“Where shall we go?” asked Abner, as the 
boys sauntered idly along in the sweet evening 
air. 

“Let’s go down past Mr. Ebenezer Wells’s,” 


A Sunday’s rest. 25 

said Phineas. Maybe Luce ’Bijah will be 
out.” 

Mr. Wells owned a slave named Lucy, who, 
having married a negro named Abijah, was 
usually known as Luce ’Bijah.” She was quite 
a noted character in the little village, and, 
having a shrewd wit and quick tongue of her 
own, the boys especially delighted in talking 
with her. 

The boys had the good luck to find Luce and 
’Bijah out in the Wellses’ side yard, where Luce, 
with her mistress’s permission, was planning a 
little flower bed of her own. 

What are you doing. Luce? ” called the boys. 

^^Oh, lackaday, nothing much. Jest some- 
thing to make fools ask questions,” answered 
Luce, with a cheerful display of her teeth, as 
the boys laughed at this retort. For she en- 
joyed the young folks as much as they did her. 

Leaving the boys to sharpen their wits on 
Luce, we return to the Hoyts’, where Captain 
Rice was particularly glad to welcome, among 
his callers. Sergeant John Hawks. He well 
knew Sergeant Hawks to be one of the most 
active among Deerfield’s citizens, especially in 
military matters, one whom frequent scouting 
trips had made unusually familiar with all the 
region around. 


26 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^You show a brave spirit, Captain, in thus 
pushing out into the wilderness to settle,’^ said 
Hawks, the first greetings over. I know that 
se(?tion well where you are going, Boston Town- 
ship No. 1, as T is now called. I Ve often camped 
thereabouts when out on a scout. There ^s as 
good meadow land there as can be found any- 
where, once it is broken up and cultivated.’’ 

can testify to that,” spoke up Othniel 
Taylor, ^Tor I too have been there more than 
once on scouts. My brother and I have bought 
a strip of land up there ourselves. Captain Rice, 
not far from yours, and think of moving up 
there soon to be your neighbors.” 

“Neighbors will be most welcome,” said the 
captain, “especially to the women folks. The 
loneliness and trials of a new country are hard- 
est on the women. They’re not rugged like 
us, — take things to heart more. My wife 
will be overjoyed at this speedy prospect of 
neighbors.” 

“Did your wife object to leaving her old 
home in the east, and moving up into those 
wild hills?” asked Hawks. 

“No. She felt it best for the children, and 
women will undergo a good deal where their 
children’s welfare is concerned, you know.” 

Hawks nodded his head. 


A SUNDAY^S REST. 


27 


^^But I know it is a sore trial to her, never- 
theless. I hope you will be sure to stop and 
see us, if out that way scouting, Sergeant.’^ 
You may rest assured of that,’’ said Plawks. 

After a man has been prowling through the 
dark, lonely woods for days, even weeks per- 
haps, eyes and ears straining for Indians, there ’s 
no sight quite so welcome as the smoke rising up 
from a civilized chimney in a clearing. And 
your clearing will be the first break in the woods 
to the northwest, after leaving Deerfield.” 

Meantime, in the sitting-room, Mrs. Rice 
was being entertained by some of the Deer- 
field women, who had dropped in, with reminis- 
cences of the fearful experiences of themselves 
or their families when Deerfield was captured 
in 1704. At last Mrs. Hoyt bethought herself 
and said : 

Perhaps we ought not to fill your head with 
these sad stories of Indian warfare, Mrs. Rice. 
I suppose it was the fact that you are going out 
into the wilderness to settle that started us 
on that strain.” 

^^The cruel doings of Indians are no news 
to me,” said Mrs. Rice. Rutland had its 
turn, you remember, when the minister and 
several others were slain, and Phineas Stevens 
and his brother carried off captive. Hardly 


28 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


any part of our province has been exempt 
from their ravages.” 

But though Mrs. Rice spoke thus bravely, 
the Deerfield stories haunted her dreams, and 
gave her but broken rest that night. 


CHAPTER III. 


THE STORY OF THE COUNCIL. 

T he mild and beautiful evening, delightful 
after the long shutting in of the winter, 
tempted all the young people outdoors. Free- 
dom French, Rebecca and Mary Nims, and 
their little niece Esther went to walk with 
Nabby Hoyt and the Rice girls up into the 
north meadow near Broughton’s Pond, hoping 
to find some arbutus blossoms or spring beauties 
and liverwort. By a strange coincidence, ere 
long young Matthew Clesson and Amos Allen 
strolled out the same way and joined the girls, 
helping them gather flowers and walking home 
with them. 

The older Arms and Wells boys, comrades 
of the ball game, were strolling with Jonathan 
Hoyt and Aaron and Sylvanus Rice around 
the Hoyts’ large home lot. 

^^What are these, Jonathan?” asked David 
Wells, kicking some black, half-burned logs 
that lay scattered about on the ground. “ Re- 
mains of the council fire?” 


30 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


'^You Ve guessed right/ ^ answered Jonathan. 
^^Thiswasthe identical spot of the great council 
fire.^^ 

^‘What council was that?^’ asked Aaron. 

^^The great council with the Indians, held 
here in August, 1735,’^ said Jonathan. re- 
member it well, though I was only ten years 
old at the time. That was the greatest 
time Deerfield ever saw, or ever will see, I 
guess. 

^^Tell us about it, Jonathan,’^ said Sylvanus, 
while the boys perched themselves about on 
the logs as seats. The air was soft and balmy, 
the moon shone brightly down, and from the 
swamps near by came the hoarse “ croak, 
croak” of the frogs, pleasantly suggestive of 
spring. 

^‘Our province thought it high time to re- 
new the treaty of peace made with the Indians 
at Albany in 1724, and refresh their memories 
with gifts of wampum belts, blankets, etc.,” 
said Jonathan. ‘^Deerfield was fixed on as 
the best place for the meeting, being a half- 
way point for our men from the Bay and 
the Indians. My mother and the other women 
in town worked themselves almost to death 
cooking and preparing to entertain such a host. 
A great tent was erected here, on my father^s 


THE STORY OF THE COUNCIL. 31 

lot, for the council, with the Union flag flying 
at the tent head. 

''It was an imposing sight, I tell you, boys, 
when Governor Belcher, with ten of his council, 
and as many or more members of the General 
Court, rode into town. The governor wore 
a leathern waistcoat and riding breeches, laced 
with gold in the handsomest manner, and a 
fine jockey cloth coat, leather color, his hat, 
shoes, buckles, and stockings all to match. His 
suite were dressed almost as finely, and they 
made an imposing spectacle as they rode in 
at the south end. But, after all, we boys 
were more taken up with the Indians. Some 
of them had been here a month, others had 
kept coming in, and now they were all out 
thronging the street, when Governor Belcher 
and suite rode in.” 

"How many Indians came?” asked Sylvanus. 

"Oh, a hundred or morel” said Jonathan. 
"It made some of the women feel uneasy to 
see such a body of fierce-looking savages among 
us. Ontosogo was chief of the Iroquois who 
came from Caghnawaga, and there were a 
number of the St. Francis Indians with them, 
twenty-seven in all. Then Weenpauk, chief 
of the Scatacooks, brought with him, besides 
numbers of his own tribe, seventeen Mohegans, 


32 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


and Cuncapot, chief of the Housatonic Indians, 
brought not only twenty-three of his warriors, 
but also twenty of their squaws and several 
children.” 

Where did such a troop of them sleep?” 
asked Aaron. And how long were they here? ” 

^^A place was assigned to them at the north 
end, beyond Parson Ashley^s, near Broughton^s 
Pond. The squaws made nothing of setting 
up their wigwams, and there they camped out, 
and were soon as much at home as if we had 
always had an Indian village here.” 

“I suppose there was an Indian village here 
in good earnest once,” said Aaron. 

^^No doubt,” said Jonathan. ^^The council 
was in session a week, but some of the Indians 
were here a month. As our people had to keep 
the Indians well supplied with food (save as 
the warriors hunted a little), and drink too, for 
that matter, it was no easy task. It was so 
important to please the Indians, it was necessary 
they should have the best of everything. I 
well remember one Indian word, because I 
heard it so often then; ^squawottuck,’ mean- 
ing ^more rum.’” 

^^I wish I had been here to see them,” said 
Sylvanus. 

^^It was a great spectacle when the council 


THE STORY OF THE COUNCIL. 33 

assembled in the tent, right here, where we are 
sitting,^' said Jonathan. ''A huge fire blazed 
high in the middle of the tent, for, though it 
was summer, there must be a council fire. 
Governor Belcher was seated at a table one 
side the tent, with his suite beside him. The 
governor was magnificently dressed. He wore 
a yellow grogram suit (made in London, T was 
said), lined with white shagrine, and at his 
side he wore a sword knot, cane string and 
cockade, made of orange ribbon, richly flowered 
with silver and crimson.’^ 

^‘The Indians must have opened their eyes 
at seeing so much magnificence,’’ said Aaron. 

^^They did, and so did the great throng of 
spectators who filled the tent. As the Caghna- 
waga Indians came in they were formally 
received by the governor, he shaking hands 
with each. They were then seated opposite 
the governor, on the other side the council 
fire. Joseph Kellogg had come down from 
Fort Dummer to act as interpreter, and my 
father was sometimes called on to aid, as he 
speaks the Indian language perfectly. Rev. 
Stephen Williams of Longmeadow was here, 
and he also acted at times as interpreter, hav- 
ing been a captive in 1704, living over a year 
with the Indians at St. Francis. Some of the 
3 


34 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


St. Francis Indians who came here had been 
his playmates during his captivity, and were 
glad to see him again. 

“The governor made a welcoming speech, 
during which he presented Ontosogo with 
three belts of wampum. The first, he said, 
was to wipe away all tears from the eyes of his 
children, the Indians; the second, to open 
their throats that they might speak with free- 
dom; the third was to wipe away all blood, 
and comfort them under past difficulties. I 
remember it well, for we boys played ^ council ’ 
for a long time afterwards, and I often had to 
be the governor and lay down the wampum. 

“ And I was generally Ontosogo, with a lot of 
rooster feathers stuck in my hair, and my red 
comforter tied around my waist,’’ said David 
Wells, laughing. 

“While the governor was talking,” continued 
Jonathan, “the Indians sat with great dignity, 
looking unmoved. When his speech was fin- 
ished, Ontosogo rose, saying: ^We have come 
at your Excellency’s call. We are glad we got 
safe here, after a long and tedious journey over 
hills and high mountains.’ He then presented, 
in his turn, three strings of wampum to the 
governor, saying: ^The way is now clear, the 
door open for freedom of speech; but we have 


THE STORY OF THE COUNCIL. 35 

nothing to say at present. We were sent for, 
and it is not customary for those that are drawn 
by the hand to speak first, therefore we wait to 
hear what your Excellency has to say.’ 

“The governor well knew that he could not 
hurry matters. Indian etiquette would not 
allow him to broach business on the first day, 
which must be devoted to preambles and com- 
pliments. So he said he should be ready to 
speak to them on the morrow. Then he invited 
them to drink with him the health of King 
George, and you may be sure the Indians were 
not backward about accepting the invitation. 
That ended the council for the first day.” 

“ How tedious it seems, when the whole busi- 
ness could easily have been settled in one meet- 
ing!” said Aaron. 

“ When you ’re with Indians you have to do 
as the Indians do,” said Jonathan. “The next 
day, Thursday, the Housatonics appeared, led 
by their chief, Cuncapot, and about the same 
ceremonies were gone through with them. 
Later the governor received the Scatacooks 
and Mohegans, eighty in all. After the usual 
preambles, the governor said he was glad to see 
so many of King George’s subjects in health 
and peace here together. He reminded them 
that the Massachusetts government had estab- 


36 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


lished a trading post for them at Fort Dummer, 
under Captain Kellogg’s care, that they might 
be well supplied and not cheated in their trade, 
and that a minister of the gospel had also been 
sent to Fort Dummer, that the Indians might 
be instructed in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 
In closing he said : ^ I hope you have been well 
entertained, and that everything has been 
agreeable to you since you have been here.’ 
On this old Weenpauk, with a complacent look, 
rose, saying: 

^In the morning we eat, are well entertained 
at noon, and at night lie down to sleep; we 
sleep well, and are in good health.’ ” 

^^That speaks well for Deerfield hospitality,” 
said Aaron. 

^^It speaks well for the hard work done by 
our Deerfield women and men,” said Jonathan. 

I could n’t tell you how many hogs and cattle 
were slain, to keep those Indians well fed while 
here. When, at last, the council reached busi- 
ness, the governor told the Indians he had come 
to renew the treaty of friendship made at 
Albany, eleven years before, to brighten the 
chain of friendship between King George and 
his subjects and the Five Nations, etc. The 
Indians, on their side, said they were glad the 
broad way was to be kept open between us, 


THE STORY OF THE COUNCIL. 37 

that there was to be safe passing, no hindrance 
or stop. The governor then invited them to 
dine with him the next day, when he said he 
would give them the present from our govern- 
ment. 

Friday the governor had all the Indians to 
dine here, in the big tent. A great sight it was. 
The Indians were brave in feathers, beads, 
paint, all their finery, and the governor and his 
suite equally gorgeous in their gold-laced coats 
and hats, ruffled shirts, and silver-mounted 
swords. The governor presented the Indians 
with their gifts, and they, in their turn, made 
presents to him. The Housatonics gave him a 
parcel of deerskins, and the other Indians pre- 
sented nine choice beaver skins. They seemed 
much pleased with all that had been done for 
them. Weenpauk said : 

<^^We return your Excellency thanks for all 
favors, and we thank God Almighty that he has 
given us opportunity to see your Excellency, 
and so many gentlemen with you. Though we 
are ignorant, and not capable of seeing for want 
of understanding, yet we praise God that he 
has fixed a day — this day — and the time of 
day, about noon, when the sun shines so 
bright upon us.’ 

^^Ontosogo said: ^I salute the governor and 


38 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


all the gentlemen here. I have been so hand- 
somely treated since I have been with you that 
I have almost fancied myself in heaven, and I 
shall not be able to forbear weeping when 
I leave the governor.’ 

“The council ended on Saturday.” 

“Were the Indians suffered to travel hence 
on the Sabbath?” asked Aaron. 

“Oh, no. They were asked to remain over 
Sunday for the ordination. Governor Belcher 
told them that Sunday was God’s day, so they 
had best tarry till Monday, when they should 
be provided with whatever they needed for 
their journey, provisions as well as skins to 
make moccasins, adding that he expected them 
to be very careful in properly observing the 
Lord’s day. They must keep it holy, and 
attend the public worship both parts of the 
day.” 

“Who was ordained?” asked Sylvanus. 

“The Rev. John Sargent was set apart to be 
a minister to the Housatonic Indians. It was 
felt to be most appropriate to have the ordina- 
tion at this time, when so many Indians could 
be present. Never did our meeting-house, or 
any other, I guess, see such a sight. It was 
packed full. The Caghnawagas, the Scatacooks, 
and the Mohegans were all present, while the 


THE STORY OF THE COUNCIL. 


39 


Housatonics were seated by themselves in one 
of the galleries. The governor and his suite 
sat together in state, and in the pulpit were 
Rev. William Williams of Hatfield, Rev. 
Nathaniel Appleton from Cambridge, Rev. 
Samuel Williams of Longmeadow, Rev. Eb- 
enezer Hinsdale, chaplain at Fort Dummer, 
and our own Parson Ashley. Mr. Appleton 
preached the sermon. Rev. Stephen Williams 
gave Mr. Sargent the right hand of fellowship, 
after which he turned and addressed the Housa- 
tonics in the Indian language, asking them, if 
they desired Mr. Sargent for their minister, to 
show some sign. Thereupon the Housatonics 
all rose and stood, to show their acceptance of 
him. Rev. Mr. Williams preached the sermon 
in the afternoon to the same crowded house.’’ 

^^Well, those were truly great times in Deer- 
field,” said Aaron, ^^and a terrible tax it must 
have been entertaining so many, whites as well 
as Indians, for so long.” 

^^It was,” said Jonathan. ^^But our people, 
after all Deerfield had suffered, were ready to 
do anything to stave off war and hold the 
Indians friendly. Their labor was not in vain, 
for peace has lasted ever since, for eighteen 
years.” 

A similar council with the Indians was held 


40 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


at Fort Dummer two years later, which no 
doubt helped, said David Wells. 

^^No doubt,” said Jonathan. Indians are 
something like children. They have short 
memories, and need reminding now and then.” 

“Pm sure I hope peace will last eighteen 
years longer,” said Aaron. “In our new home 
in the wilderness, I fear we should be much 
exposed to Indian attacks, in case of another 
war.” 

“You could hardly remain there in case of 
war,” said Jonathan.^ 

'For full detail of this council, see Thompson’s “History of 
Greenfield.” 


CHAPTER IV. 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 

T he Rices were up before daylight Monday 
morning. Captain Rice and the boys had 
to feed their cattle and horses, pack and strap 
on bundles and packages. The Hoyts also rose 
early to give the travellers a good breakfast 
before starting. All the family were at the 
door, when, just as the sun appeared above the 
flank of Mount Pocumtuck, sending down warm, 
cheerful rays, the horses were brought around, 
the women helped into their sidesaddles, while 
the boys vaulted lightly on their horses’ backs, 
with no use for the horse-block, and the travel- 
lers were ready to set forth. 

A chorus of “Good-bye, Aaron,” “Good-bye, 
Jonathan,” “Good-bye, Dinah,” and so on, 
arose from the young folks, and, after many 
hearty thanks from the Rices to the Hoyts for 
their hospitable kindness, the procession of 
cattle and horses started, moving slowly down 
the street to the south. 

More than one Deerfield woman watched the 


42 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


little company with moistened eye and sympa- 
thetic glance, thinking: 

How hard for that woman and her children 
to go so far out into the wilderness to dwell, 
away from all other settlers! How can Mrs. 
Rice do it?’^ 

The travellers turned below the meeting- 
house, passed Captain Williamses store on the 
corner, and took the lane running west, known 
later as the Albany Road.^e 

The young folks, far from feeling gloomy at 
the prospect before them, were exhilarated 
with a sense of adventure, anticipating the 
novel life awaiting them. The boys had enough 
to do in managing their own horses and aiding 
their father with the cattle. When, near the 
burying ground, some of the cattle straggled 
out of the path and fell to grazing the tempting 
new grass, Bose made himself useful, surround- 
ing, so to speak, the stray creatures on all sides, 
barking vigorously at their heels, and chasing 
them back into line, returning to Captain Rice, 
wagging his tail and looking up at him as if to 
say: 

Am I not a fine dog?^^ 

Old Bose thinks he is doing this all himself,^’ 
said Artemas. 

^^He is a great help, any way. Good dog. 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 


43 


Bose” said the captain, whereat the dog 
scampered an extra turn ahead and back, from 
pure joy. 

Yonder, children, are the graves of Rev. 
John Williams and his wife,” said Captain Rice, 
pointing towards the burying ground. ^^He 
was the ^Redeemed Captive,’ you know. He 
lived in the house where his son, Capt. Elijah 
Williams, now dwells.” 

^^And his wife was slain by the Indians,” 
said Mrs. Rice, looking with mournful interest 
towards the graves. 

^^Yes,” said the captain briskly, “but that 
was almost forty years ago, when the country 
was newer, and the Indians more numerous 
and savage. Many of the Indians are in friendly 
alliance with us now. Sergeant Hawks was 
telling me last night that, at Fort Dummer, 
there are several Indian chiefs regularly com- 
missioned by our government as part of the 
garrison.” 

“I would not trust their friendship far, in 
case of war,” said Mrs. Rice. 

“You must try to keep up heart, and trust 
in God, Sarah,” said the captain. “I believe 
we shall yet praise Him for the help of His 
countenance in this new venture we are 
making.” 


44 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


wish I had your hopeful spirit, Moses/’ 
said the wife. 

The path crossed the meadow to the ford. 
The Deerfield River, swollen by spring rains 
and melting snow, looked dark, deep, and rapid. 

^‘Oh, father,” cried Tamar, “I’m afraid to 
ride through this river!” 

“What ails you, child? You ’ve forded more 
than one river on our way from Rutland.” 

“But this one looks so deep and angry.” 

“You need not fear, Tamar. I suspect this 
river is like some people, not so bad as it 
looks. First we must get the cattle over, and 
then we will see about the folks.” 

Much aided by Bose, who barked himself 
hoarse in the good cause, the cattle were urged 
into the stream, and then Tamar saw that the 
water did not reach their bodies. 

“It isn’t as deep as it looks,” she said, 
reassured. 

“Tuck your dress well up around you, Ta- 
mar,” said her mother. 

“ Dinah will need to take a reef in her under- 
pinning, I guess,” said Aaron, laughing at his 
tall sister. 

“Don’t worry about me,” said Dinah. “I 
can take care of myself.” 

So speaking, she contrived to draw up her 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 


45 


knees, tuck her dress skirt around her, and, 
urging her horse boldly into the stream, was 
the first one across. 

Three cheers for Dinah!” called Sylvanus. 

^^Come on, Tamar,” called back Dinah. 
^^That^s nothing at all. I didnT even wet 
the sole of my shoe or the hem of my garment. 
If I can ride through dry, you surely can.” 

'^Hold your horse up firmly, Tamar,” said 
her father, ^Test he step on a stone and stumble. 
I will ride beside you.” 

Thus encouraged, the timid Tamar rode 
through the swollen stream. There was a 
great splashing as all the horses plunged in, 
encouraged by many a kind word from their 
riders, made their way stoutly against the 
strong current, and scrambled up the opposite 
bank. 

must confess I did not enjoy that ford 
much better than Tamar,” said her mother. 

^^Do we have to cross the Deerfield again, 
father?” 

No, our path lies on this side the rest of the 
way.” 

“How many miles farther is it?” asked 
Dinah. 

“Twenty-two, and much of the way up 
hill.” 


46 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“Do you think it possible we can reach our 
new home to-day?’^ asked Mrs. Rice. 

“I think so. After we get up these hills, 
past the Salmon Fishing Falls, there ^s a long, 
level stretch beside the river, all the last part 
of the way, where we can make better speed. 
The first part is the most tedious.” 

The road was only a rude and narrow bridle 
path, which, leaving the river, struck up into 
the mountains, following, part of the way, a 
little stream that came tumbling down the 
gorge. It was wholly through primeval forest 
as yet untouched by the hand of man; not a 
house, or fence, or sign of habitation along 
the way. 

“This is the part of Deerfield called ^ North 
West,’”^ said Captain Rice, as the riders 
wound slowly on, in Indian file, up hill, through 
the wooded gorge. “I suppose this path is 
the old Indian trail to the west. ’T is so with 
most of the roads in the province. The Indians 
knew the hills and streams and the shortest 
cuts, and we can do no better than follow their 
trails.” 

“ I wonder if we shall see any Indians to-day,” 
said Artemas. 

“If we do, I will give them a taste of this,” 

1 Now Shelburne. 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 


47 


said Sylvanus, dropping his reins, and lifting 
the loaded gun, which, like his father and 
Aaron, he carried across his saddlebow, affect- 
ing to aim into the woods. 

You’d best put that gun down. You’ll 
shoot some one before you know it,” said Aaron. 

Sylvanus is too young to be trusted with 
a loaded gun in journeying, I think,” said 
Mrs. Rice, looking anxiously at the boy and gun. 

'^Mother!” exclaimed the indignant Sylvanus. 

As if I didn’t know how to handle a gun!” 

‘^Put up your gun, boy,” said his father. 
^^You would get us into serious trouble if you 
fired at an Indian, as the laws of the province 
deal strictly with any one who kills or wounds 
an Indian in time of peace. If we chance upon 
an Indian, it will be only a friendly Indian, out 
hunting or fishing, and we must speak him 
fair. We want to keep the good will of the 
Indians in our new home.” 

The path now came out of the gorge at a 
high point where a gap in the woods gave the 
travellers their first view of the surrounding 
country, so wholly shut in had the narrow 
bridle path been by hills and forest. But now 
they saw far below them, stretching out to- 
wards the eastern hills, a fair green valley 
smiling in the sun, mostly covered with the 


48 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


original woods, and bounded on all sides by 
forest-clad mountains. Far off in the north- 
east one summit, Mount Monadnock, blue in the 
distance, rose grandly above the nearer ranges. 

^^Why, I see some houses down there, and 
smoke rising, and what look like open meadows 
and a clearing,’’ exclaimed Dinah, pointing to a 
few roofs rising above the woods to the south- 
east. ^^What place is that, father?” 

^‘That is the Green River District^ of Deer- 
field,” said the captain. The Deerfield settlers, 
in their scouts to the north, soon discovered that 
there were fertile meadows and upland plains 
along the Green River, which is a branch of 
the Deerfield, flowing into it but a little above 
the ford we have just crossed. And so these 
lands began to be taken up and cultivated 
fifty years or more ago; and Capt. Jonathan 
Wells built a gristmill there, on Green River. 
Two or three times, during the Indian wars, 
the settlers have had to abandon everything, 
and take refuge in Deerfield stockade. But 
now, after this long interval of peace, the 
settlement is beginning to take firm root.” 

I should think the people would feel afraid, 
so far away from Deerfield village,” said Tamar. 

^^They have a fort of their own now, and 


1 Now Greenfield. 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 


49 


feel quite independent/^ said the captain. 

Lieutenant Hoyt was telling me that the 
Green River settlers are getting uneasy, want a 
minister and a schoolhouse of their own; and 
some of them even talk about being set off 
from Deerfield as a separate town. But the 
Deerfield men are not disposed to encourage 
any such uneasy notions.^^ 

Truly the Green River valley is sightly to 
look upon,” said Mrs. Rice, as the horses began 
again to climb the steep, rocky path. I could 
almost wish, father, that you had bought lands 
here, instead of venturing so far away into the 
northwestern wilderness.” 

“The good lands were all pre-empted here 
long ago. At Boston Township No. 1 we are 
the first comers, and have the first choice of 
lands. I know no other place where I could 
buy twenty-two hundred acres of so desirable 
land as at the spot where I have cast in our 
lot; situated right on a river too, with a fine 
mill brook tumbling down through it, straight 
from the hills.” 

“I do not question that the land is good,” 
said Mrs. Rice, “but the place is so isolated.” 

“We shall have plenty of neighbors soon,” 
said the hopeful captain. “ Our going out will 
bring others. Eleazer Hawks told me last 

4 


50 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


night that he was thinking of buying lands near 
us, and you heard Othniel Taylor say that he 
and his brother have already bought. Keep up 
your courage, wife.’^ 

will try,’^ said Mrs. Rice, smiling back at 
her resolute husband. 

Sylvanus was riding a little ahead of the 
others. One side the path was a ridge covered 
with a mingled growth of oaks and evergreens. 
On the sunny exposure of the ridge’s slope, 
Sylvanus, to his delight, saw a flock of par- 
tridges. Up went Sylvanus’s ready gun, but 
before he fired the mother partridge gave a 
warning cry, and every bird vanished as if 
by magic. The young ones scattered and hid 
under dead leaves or between roots of trees, 
while the mother, flying up into a tree, stretched 
herself erect and stood motionless, seeming a 
part of the brown tree trunk. 

The smoke of the gun cleared away, and not 
a single partridge, dead or alive, was to be 
seen. 

Well, I never!” exclaimed Sylvanus. ’d 
like to know where those partridges went to. 
There ’s witchcraft in it. I had made up my 
mouth for roast partridge for dinner.” 

“You’ll have to put up with fried pork, like 
the rest of us, I guess, Sylvanus,” said Aaron. 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 51 

^^You don^t catch a weasel asleep, or a hen 
partridge either.” 

The sun was now high overhead. The horses 
began to stop often to rest on steep pitches, and 
old Dolly, at such times, turned her head and 
looked back appealingly at her master. 

Dolly thinks it ^s about time to stop and 
rest,” said Artemas. 

^^So do we all,” said Tamar. feel all 
doubled up, sitting in this sidesaddle so long. 
I believe I Ve grown to it.” 

‘^YouTe always fussing, Tamar,” said Arte- 
mas. You Te not the only one that ’s tired, I 
guess.” 

“Don’t quarrel, children,” said the mother. 
“Now we have only ourselves to look to, we 
must try to be patient and pleasant, and help 
each other all we can. Tamar is not very 
strong, and this is a hard jaunt for an eleven- 
year-old girl. You ’re a boy, Artemas.” 

“Yes, and I ’m glad of it,” said Artemas. 

“We must push on to the Salmon Fishing 
Falls before we stop,” said the captain. “We 
must be nearly there, I judge.” 

“There’s the Deerfield River again,” said 
Sylvanus, pointing ahead. 

The path, which had steadily mounted up 
hill much of the way, now ran along a high 


52 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ridge. Far below, on the left, the travellers saw 
the Deerfield, crowding its way through a nar- 
row gorge between high hills, its torrent foam- 
ing madly down over the great stones and rocks 
that obstructed its wild bed. 

It cannot be far now to our halting place,’^ 
said the captain. 

All pushed on more cheerily now, and in a 
short time came out of the woods at the Salmon 
Fishing Falls,^ where the Deerfield rushed down 
forty feet over the huge rocks that tried in vain 
to stem its current, a wild and beautiful natural 
cascade. 

^^Here we are, at last,’^ said the captain. 

Every one dismounted, the packs were taken 
off the tired horses, and they and the cattle fell 
eagerly to browsing the fresh grass in the open 
spot beside the falls where the halt was made. 

^^Boys, start a fire for your mother, while 
Aaron and I attend to the horses,’^ said the cap- 
tain. 

Sylvanus and Artemas found plenty of dry 
sticks and driftwood close at hand. Beside a 
rock, in a sheltered nook, Sylvanus skilfully 
erected a tent-like pile of dead leaves and dry 
twigs the size of a teacup. In the tinder box, 
with the deftness born of experience, he soon 


1 Now Shelburne Falls. 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 


53 


struck a spark of fire, which, dropped on the 
little pile of leaves, set it ablaze. The boys 
added small sticks, then larger ones, until soon 
a high fire blazed brightly on the river^s bank, 
sending aloft a long trail of blue smoke. 

Mrs. Rice and the girls brought out from the 
packs bread and salt pork, some wooden 
trenchers, and a large frying pan, preparing to 
cook the simple meal. 

Bose, that, tired though he was, could not 
resist trotting about, investigating everything, 
now ran towards the western woods, barking 
furiously and seeming greatly excited. 

^^Your guns, boys,’^ said the captain, taking 
his own, and starting for the spot where Bose 
ran up and down, barking furiously. 

^Mt^s a bear! I know it^s a bear!” cried 
Tamar, looking wildly around for refuge. 

Don’t cry, Tamar. We can easily climb 
trees,” said Dinah. 

^^Of course you can, you ’re so tall,” said 
Tamar. 

Artemas lost no time in acting on his sister’s 
suggestion, mounting up into a small tree near 
by with the agility of a young monkey. 

Your father will protect us,” said Mrs. Rice, 
standing her ground, but looking pale and 
anxious. 


54 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Now the captain and his sons saw coming 
through the aisles of the naked woods between 
the tree trunks the tall, lithe form of an Indian. 
As he drew near, seeing the guns, he raised his 
open hands, weaponless, saying: 

“My brother, put up your gun. Umpaumet 
comes in peace, not in war.’’ 

“Down, Bose. Keep quiet, sir! Welcome, 
Umpaumet! What brings Umpaumet here?” 

“Umpaumet was fishing in the Pocumtuck. 
He saw the smoke of his white brother’s camp- 
fire from afar, and came to give him greeting, 
and to bring this present.” 

So saying, Umpaumet laid down at the cap- 
tain’s feet three fine shad. 

“Thank you, Umpaumet,” said the captain. 
“Here is a present in return, of tobacco for 
Umpaumet to smoke in his pipe. Umpaumet 
must come and dine with his white brother.” 

The wily Indian gave a grunt of satisfaction. 
This was exactly what he had planned. His 
mouth had watered from afar for a taste of the 
white man’s bread. 

Artemas hastened to slide down from his 
tree, hoping that Sylvanus had not noticed his 
ascent. Aaron and Sylvanus tried to keep 
Bose quiet, but he persisted in growling and 
sniffing suspiciously about the Indian while the 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 55 

boys tried to talk with him, interested to hear 
what he had to say. 

Captain Rice, in the mean time, sought his 
wife, who asked, anxiously: 

Who is that savage, Moses? What does he 
want? It frightens me to see him.” 

^^It is Umpaumet. I saw him last sununer 
when up here. He is friendly, a Scatacook who 
sometimes comes down from Fort Dummer way 
to hunt and fish along the Deerfield. You must 
learn not to mind Indians, Sarah. See, Um- 
paumet has brought us a present, some shad.” 

“Shad!” exclaimed Mrs. Rice, rather con- 
temptuously. “Mrs. Hoyt said that Deerfield 
people do not think it respectable to eat shad. 
It is considered to show that people are short 
of pork if they eat such a common fish. Only 
poor folks eat shad,” she said. 

“It will never do to anger Umpaumet by 
slighting his present,” said the captain. 
“You dl have to cook them, Sarah.” 

“I don^t care if shad are not respectable,” 
said Dinah. “ I ^d rather have them than fried 
pork any time. I dl cook them, father.” 

When the dinner was cooked, all sat around 
the fire on logs or stumps, eating from their 
wooden trenchers with a hearty appetite, after 
their long ride. The fried shad sent out so 


56 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


tempting an odor that it found favor with all; 
even Mrs. Rice, safe from neighborly criticism, 
relenting enough to partake of it with evident 
relish. Bose sat near Umpaumet, keeping vigi- 
lant guard over him, yet finding time to snap 
up the scraps often thrown him by his boy 
and girl friends. 

Umpaumet, his trencher piled high, sat a 
little apart, greedily devouring his dinner. In 
his woodland wanderings seldom did kind fate 
send in his way so good a meal. Twice was his 
trencher piled high, and when, at last, he 
stalked off into the western woods, Mrs. Rice 
said: 

I hope I shall not be called on often to cook 
for Indians!” 

All the women in our new settlements have 
to tolerate the Indians when they come 
around,” said the captain. 

The boys helped the girls wash the dishes by 
simply taking them down to the river, scouring 
them with sand, then rinsing them well, and 
turning them up in the hot sun to dry. 

An hour was spent resting beside the falls, 
whose murmur soothed the captain and Mrs. 
Rice into welcome naps. The girls rambled 
around, picking wild flowers, or watching the 
boys, who were throwing stones and sticks into 


ON TO THE WESTWARD. 57 

the river, to entice Bose to plunge in after them, 
a challenge Bose was not slow to accept. 

The open meadow where the Rices had 
stopped was surrounded on all sides by woods, 
running up to the tops of hills and mountains 
that towered grandly on both sides of the river. 

suppose, as these are called Salmon Fish- 
ing Falls, there are plenty of salmon to be 
caught here,’ ^ said Aaron. 

“Next spring the river will be full of them,” 
said the captain. “The Deerfield people come 
up here and camp out for the fishing. They 
tell me it is a sight worth seeing when a big 
salmon goes leaping up these falls. A fine 
country this, overflowing with richness!” 

“You look at it with partial eyes, father,” 
said Mrs. Rice. 

“This is a grand water power, anyway,” said 
Aaron. 

“ Some day it will be improved, and mills and 
factories, a great city, perhaps, spring up right 
here where we sit,” said the captain. 

“ I doubt if any one ever moves up among 
these hills to settle,” said Mrs. Rice. 

“Wait and see,” said the indomitable captain. 

Their nooning over, much refreshed by their 
rest, the travellers rode on. Ere going many 
miles they reached the place the captain had 


58 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


described, where the bridle path ran along near 
the river, often through stretches of meadow 
land, covered now with a dense growth of the 
brown, tangled wild grass of last year, but evi- 
dently rich and fertile. The mountains each 
side grew higher as they went on, and began to 
close in nearer to the river. 

^^This is comfortable travelling, as you said, 
and very pleasant,^^ said Mrs. Rice, 

^^We are now in the limits of Boston Town- 
ship No. 1,’^ said the captain. “I am glad 
your first impressions are favorable, Sarah.’’ 

Though travelling was easier now, there were 
still several weary miles for tired horses and 
travellers to traverse. The sun was already 
sinking behind a high range of mountains to the 
west, when the captain, who rode in advance, 
turned his horse, and, riding back beside his 
wife, said: 

“ Here we are at last, Sarah. Yonder is our 
new home.” 


CHAPTER V. 


THE NEW HOME. 

M rs. rice, looking where the captain 
pointed, saw a large log house standing 
well up on the hillside to the right. Before 
the house rose a tall young buttonball tree. 
The stumps still standing thickly on the hill- 
side around the house showed where the woods 
had been cleared away for the new home. 
Beyond the clearing stretched dense woods to 
the top of the steep hill or mountain, on whose 
southern slope the house was situated. The 
last rays of the setting sun hngered pleasantly 
on the place. 

There could not be a more desirable site 
for a house,” said the captain. “It is warm 
and sheltered, protected from the north winds 
by the hill behind, and lying fair to the sun 
the year round. And a better outlook no man 
could wish.” 

“You have certainly chosen wisely,” said 
Mrs. Rice. It is a sightly situation.” 

If her heart sank within her in pangs of 


60 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


homesickness at the loneliness of the place, 
she gave no sign, but tried to keep a brave face. 
She could not fail to notice that the upper 
story of the house projected slightly over the 
lower, and through the projection thus formed 
were loopholes, where guns could be thrust 
through to repel besiegers. 

The captain, seeing her gaze fixed on the 
loopholes, hastened to explain : 

^^You see, Sarah, I felt it prudent, since we 
are so far out here by ourselves, to build the 
house in a defensible manner. But the chances 
are we shall never be forced to use it as a fort.” 
pray God not,” said Mrs. Rice. 

The children were all charmed with the new 
home. 

^^Oh, isnT it pleasant here!” cried Dinah. 

“ I knew you would like it,” said Aaron. 

Let’s hurry, Artemas, and see if we can’t 
be the first to step over the new threshold,” 
said Tamar. 

^^Do you see this buttonball?” asked Syl- 
vanus. ‘^1 slept under that tree when I was 
the only white person in the whole region. We 
camped nights under the tree last summer, 
while we were building the house, and one 
night, when father and Aaron had been obliged 
to go to Deerfield, I slept here alone.” 


THE NEW HOME. 


61 


‘‘Pm thankful I knew nothing about it/^ 
said his mother. 

“Weren’t you afraid, Sylvanus?” asked Ta- 
mar. 

“No. I was so tired I didn’t stop to think 
much about anything. I rolled up in my 
blanket and went right to sleep, and the next 
thing I knew, it was morning and the birds 
were singing in the buttonball tree over my 
head loud enough to wake the dead; at least, 
they woke me, and I was dead asleep.” 

As the captain and wife rode up to the house, 
Mrs. Rice noti"^ed a fine spring gushing out of 
the hillside in front of the house, just below 
the buttonball tree. 

“That is a good thing,” she said heartily. 
“ I am glad enough to see such a fine spring of 
never-failing water near by.” 

“I located the house here partly on account 
of that spring,” said the captain. “It is the 
best of water, cool and sweet and never 
failing.” 

They had now alighted before the door, and 
the captain said : 

“Stop a bit, wife, and look about you.” 

Turning, Mrs. Rice saw a beautiful view 
spread out before her. Below stretched a 
wide strip of open meadow, through which 


62 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


flowed the Deerfield River. Beyond the river 
rose picturesque mountain ranges and peaks, 
covered with primeval forests, many great 
pines and hemlocks making the hills dark 
green, even so early in the spring. 

‘^It is most sightly,’^ said Mrs. Rice. ^^We 
shall have a pleasant home here, by and by, 
when we get more settled and finished.’^ 

am glad you feel so, Sarah, said the 
captain. ^^Of course, everything is rude now, 
only a beginning made. But you and I and the 
children, thank God, are well and strong, and 
not afraid of work, or of roughing it, and gradu- 
ally we shall get comfortably fixed.’^ 

The children, meantime, had raced into the 
house, and were rushing around, examining 
everything. When their parents entered, Dinah 
and Tamar were climbing backwards down the 
rude, home-made ladder which led to the loft 
above. 

“ The boys wanted we should go upstairs and 
see their bedroom,’’ said Dinah. There is 
plenty of room for us girls to have a room up 
there too.” 

shall partition one off for you as soon as 
I can get to it,” said her father. 

^^See these stools and this table the boys 
made last summer, mother,” said Tamar. 


THE NEW HOME. 


63 


The stools and table were made of slabs, hewn 
out of large tree trunks, supported by round 
legs with the bark on, cut from the branches. 

We made them rainy days,’^ said Aaron. 

They are rather rough, but I dl warrant they 
are strong.” 

‘^They will answer nicely until we can get 
better,” said Mrs. Rice, pleased with her boys^ 
ingenuity. 

The log house had two large rooms down- 
stairs, a kitchen and a living-room, each having 
a big stone fireplace, with a small bedroom 
built in a lean-to, opening out of the kitchen. 
The floors were made of rough slabs hewn out 
of logs with the axe. Wooden pegs, driven 
into the walls, supplied the place of closets. 
A trap door in the kitchen floor, with a rude 
ladder beneath, led to the cellar below, while 
another ladder in the corner went up to the 
square opening in the ceiling above, which gave 
access to the loft. 

This is really better than I expected, 
Moses,” said Mrs. Rice. ^^We can make our- 
selves more comfortable here than I supposed 
possible.” 

thought you would nT And it so bad as 
you feared,” said the captain, rubbing his hands 
with satisfaction. 


64 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


The tired horses were thankful to be unloaded, 
and turned out to graze on the new grass spring- 
ing up among the stumps surrounding the house. 
The boys soon had a bright fire blazing, which 
cast a rosy light over the rude interior of the 
cabin, giving a homelike air even to the rough 
walls of logs, whose chinks were filled in with 
plaster. As soon as supper was eaten, the 
beds were spread on the floors, and ere long the 
tired travellers were sleeping as soundly as if 
in palatial quarters. 

The days were now so full of work for every- 
body that there was no time to be homesick 
or discontented. The captain and his boys 
hastened to break up the fertile meadows, and 
plant corn, rye, barley, and flax, for the first 
necessity was to secure supplies for the coming 
winter. As they had time, they sowed English 
grass and clover seed to supplant the rank, wild 
grass growing rampantly on every open spot. 
The cattle were, at present, pastured in the un- 
fenced woods near the house. 

Whenever there’s nothing else to do,” said 
Sylvanus one day, as he came in lugging two 
pails of water from the spring for his mother, 
one in each hand, ^^we can always chop down 
trees. Between firewood and fencing, we are 
not likely to get out of work right away. Father 


THE NEW HOME. 


65 


wants to fence in a tract of that cleared land 
behind the house for a pasture as soon as he 
can, and we must finish the barn before winter.’^ 

'^The wilderness is no place for lazy folks, 
that is certain,” said Mrs. Rice, as she stepped 
briskly back and forth at her loud-humming 
wheel. 

‘^No one can accuse us of laziness,” said 
Dinah, who was making bread. 

know what I wish,” said Tamar. ''I 
wish you boys could spend time to go hunting. 
I ’m tired of pork and fish.” 

“You forget those squirrels Dinah shot last 
week, and the partridges I brought in,” said 
Sylvanus. 

“ Those were only a taste, just enough to 
make me hungry for more.” 

“Tamar is right. We do need some fresh 
meat,” said Mrs. Rice. “Your father will soon 
have to give you boys a day off in the woods, 
I guess.” 

The very next day the captain said to Aaron : 

“You boys can have the day off for hunting. 
Your mother is meat hungry, and some venison 
will certainly eke out our larder well, if, by 
good fortune, you bring down a deer.” 

Artemas begged to go with his brothers, but 
his mother said: 


5 


66 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^‘You will have to wait until you are older, 
Artemas. Probably the boys will tramp the 
woods all day long, up hill and down, and your 
little legs could n^t keep up. Besides, I shall 
need you at home, if your brothers are away.’’ 

^^And we might meet a bear, Artemas,” said 
Sylvanus. Then he sang, in mocking tone: 

“Artemas he 
Did climb a tree, 

The bear to flee.^^ 

^'Sylvanus! You shouldn’t make fun of the 
New England Primer, should he, mother?” 
said Tamar. 

^^He must not tease Artemas,” said Mrs. Rice, 
don’t care,” said Artemas. 

“I shall need Artemas myself,” said his 
father. There will be plenty you can do, 
Artemas.” 

And so Artemas found it. By the time he 
had brought up water for his mother, and 
chopped and brought in all the wood she needed, 
and trudged after his father all the afternoon 
in the heavy ploughed land, dropping corn 
into the hills for his father to cover, had hunted 
the cows and driven them in for milking, and 
helped his father and the girls milk, he was 
tired enough. His father praised him, and he 


THE NEW HOME. 


67 


was proud to be of use; yet, as he climbed the 
ladder right after supper for bed, he muttered 
to himself: 

might have gone hunting as well as not. 
I don’t believe I should have been half so tired 
as I am now.” 

Aaron and Sylvanus took their guns, slung 
their powder horns over their shoulders, hung 
their bullet and shot bags on their belts, and 
set forth into the wilderness to the northwest, 
Sylvanus calling back: 

Fried venison for supper to-night, Tamar.” 
cannot help feeling anxious about them,” 
said their mother, as she watched the boys until 
they disappeared in the dense woods up the 
river. shall feel a good deal better when I 
see them coming home again.” 

^^What is there to be afraid of?” said Dinah. 

There are no unfriendly Indians now, and as 
for wild beasts, I guess the boys can take care 
of any they may meet. I only wish I could 
go with them.” 

Dinah! How can you talk so!” exclaimed 
Tamar. “ If I were going to wish, I ’d wish I 
could go down to Deerfield and stay awhile. It’s 
so lonely up here, with only woods and mountains 
to look at. I want some other little girls.” 

It was hardly strange that Tamar pined for 


68 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


comrades of her own age. True, she and 
Artemas sometimes played together when not 
busy, although, as Tamar said : 

“Boys don’t know how to play doll.” 

But both were equally interested in a new 
pet, a young raccoon which Sylvanus had suc- 
ceeded in capturing alive. He was kept in a 
little pen the children had built for him, with 
some help from Sylvanus, and was both tame 
and playful. His wise, knowing little face and 
cunning ways delighted the children. 

Bose had been made to understand that the 
little coon was one of the family, and not to be 
harmed. When Tumbler, as the children called 
him, was let out to play, it was funny to see 
the struggle between duty and inclination 
plainly going on in Bose’s mind, as he wist- 
fully watched the coon’s antics, with erect 
ears and bright eyes, now and then looking up 
at the children, as if to say: 

“You see I can be trusted.” 

To Tamar’s delight, her mother now said: 

“Your father talks of going down to Deer- 
field to meeting before long.” 

“Oh, good, good! Can we all go?” 

“Of course.” 

Henceforth a frequent phrase on Tamar’s 
lips was, “When we go to Deerfield.” 


THE NIiW HOME. 


69 


Aaron and Sylvanus, happy in a whole day 
of freedom, were picking their way up the 
faintly defined Indian trail along the river’s 
shore to the northwest. Both wore Indian 
moccasins, having learned by experience that 
the more softly they trod the more likely were 
they to come upon game. Nor did they talk 
much, but trod silently on, eyes and ears alert. 

After walking some time they struck a 
narrow path, hardly traceable, which only 
close scrutiny revealed to be a path at all. 
Following it, they were led into a dense swamp 
of low growing evergreens. Other paths ran 
in, crossing and recrossing the first, until at 
last all met in a spot much trampled under 
the evergreens, where the prints of deer hoofs 
were numerous. 

“An old deer yard, where they herded last 
winter,’’ said Aaron in low tone. “Wonder if 
they come here now?” 

Sylvanus pointed to a young maple, whose 
twigs, green with swelling buds, and tender 
bark looked freshly nibbled. 

“Let’s separate,” whispered Aaron, “and 
beat up the woods around towards the river. 
You go to the left. I ’ll go to the right. We ’ll 
meet at the river’s bank. We may drive a 
deer or two out of the wood.” 


70 BOYS OF THE BORDER. 

Accordingly the boys separated, going in 
different directions, stepping softly, trying not 
to snap a twig or rustle a bush. Low growing 
branches they lifted carefully, dropping them 
behind them as they passed on, instead of 
brushing recklessly through the obstruction. 

At last Sylvanus came to a high ridge. As- 
cending it cautiously, he peeped down into the 
dark ravine below. These primeval woods were 
so dense, the great tree tops so interlaced, that 
only a dim twilight filtered through down into 
their depths. Straining his eyes to peer around, 
no living creature could Sylvanus discern. 

donT believe we shall get a bit of game 
to-day,’’ thought he. 

Just then he fancied he saw something 
move, a spot of gray down by the little brook 
in the ravine below. With faster heart-beat 
he thought: 

believe that’s a deer! At any rate. I’ll 
have a shot at it.” 

Up went his gun. A loud report rang out, 
echoing through all the silent forest. The 
gray object below bounded away, its white 
tail thrown up like a plume, as it fled with great 
leaps across to the other side of the ravine. 

hit her! I know I did,” said Sylvanus, 
as he plunged wildly down into the ravine. 


THK NEW HOME. 


71 


leaped the brook, and rushed panting up the 
opposite ridge. Yes, beyond, through the tree 
trunks, he caught glimpses now and then of the 
white flag of the flying deer, and spots of blood 
on the dead leaves showed that she was wounded. 

No shot had come from Aaron’s direction, 
and Sylvanus could not help thinking with 
some pride, as he pressed breathlessly on: 

“ I Ve beaten Aaron this time, anyway, if 
I am the younger. But he will never believe 
it unless I have the deer to show for it. I must 
get her.” 

Another ridge now hid the flying deer from 
sight. Reaching its summit as quickly as he 
could make his way through the thick tangle of 
undergrowth, Sylvanus found that he had 
wholly lost track of the deer. In vain did he 
strain eye and ear to see or hear some moving 
object. All was silence, absolute silence, not 
a sound but the wind sighing through the tree 
tops, no moving object save waving branches, 
and a gray squirrel running fearlessly up a 
tree trunk near by. 

Sylvanus had no time or shot to waste on 
squirrels. 

must overtake that deer,” was his one 
thought. 


CHAPTER VL 


LOST. 

O N and on pushed Sylvanus in the direction 
in which he was sure the deer had gone, 
but still he did not find her. At last, breathless 
and exhausted, he sank down to rest on a 
mossy log at the edge of an opening, where 
some bygone tempest had blown down several 
huge trees. 

Now that he had time to stop and think, a 
new idea occurred to him. 

I wonder if I am lost ! Here I am, I have nT 
the least idea where, in these endless woods 
that run over Hoosac Mountain. I was foolish 
to chase that deer without noticing which way 
I was going. What shall I do, I wonder?’’ 

Sylvanus looked around him. In every direc- 
tion stretched the pathless woods, obscure 
with the dusky twilight of impenetrable shade. 
Only here and there could a ray of sunlight 
struggle through. Thick green moss coated 
tree trunks, stones, rocks, even the ground. The 
silence and sense of loneliness were full of awe. 


LOST. 


73 


^^Let me see. Which way is the river? It 
must be off here. If I can only make my way 
back to that, it will guide me. If I could find 
that brook again, no doubt it runs into the 
river,’’ thought the anxious boy. He walked 
hurriedly, in nervous haste, in the direction 
where he thought the brook ran. Pushing 
through branches and bushes, he toiled on. 

^^I am certainly coming to the brook now,” 
he thought, as he pushed through a tangle of 
bushes out into a more open space. Lo, there 
was the mossy log on which he had sat! He 
had simply walked around in a circle to his 
starting place. 

I will try the opposite direction,” he thought. 
^^The brook must be off there.” 

Striking across the opening, he pushed into 
the woods, toiling and struggling on, only at 
last to come out again at that same old log. 

Exhausted and frightened, he sank down 
on it. 

What shall I do?” he thought. ^^I ’m lost, 
plainly enough. If I keep this up, going around 
and around in a circle, I shall soon lose my 
head and be utterly bewildered. I must stop 
and think what it is best to do.” 

He sat some moments, in forlorn loneliness 
and anxiety. Then he thought : 


74 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


I believe I ’ll fire my gun. That will let 
Aaron know where I am.” 

The gun rang out through the woods, its 
report dying away in slowly waning echoes 
through the solemn silence. Sylvanus listened 
eagerly for an answering shot, but none came. 

I ’ll build a fire, and make a smoke. 
Perhaps that will guide Aaron to me,” he 
thought. 

Luckily he had a tinder box in his pocket. 
Soon he had a fire blazing. Somehow the sight 
of the ruddy, dancing flames cheered him a 
little. When the fire was well started, he tore 
wet moss from his friendly log, and gathered 
damp leaves from the hollows, piling them on 
the fire, thus making a thick smudge which 
rose over the tree tops in a dense blue column. 

^^Now there’s nothing to do but wait,” he 
thought. 

The niinutes seemed hours, as he sat there 
in the silence waiting. At last he bethought 
himself of a thick sandwich of bread and pork 
scraps which his mother had insisted on his 
taking, in spite of his remonstrances. 

We shall not need anything, mother. It ’s 
no use to bother to take it. We can easily 
cook some of our game, can we not, Aaron?” 

^^Yes, if we get any,” said Aaron, who was 


LOST. 75 

tucking away sandwiches in the capacious 
pockets of his leathern doublet. 

So Sylvanus had yielded. Those despised 
sandwiches proved a great comfort, passing 
away the time, and giving him renewed strength 
and courage. 

Now the fading light showed that the sun 
must be waning. 

^^It will be dark soon,’^ thought Sylvanus. 
“ I must make a desperate effort to find the 
river, or I shall have to spend the night here, 
with plenty of bears and wild cats for company.” 

As he rose to begin again his uncertain wander- 
ings, to his joy he heard, far off, the report of 
a gun fired twice. 

^‘That means that Aaron knows I am lost, 
and wants to let me know that he is hunting 
for me,” he thought. 

He now fired his own gun twice, and soon an 
answering report came back from his brother, 
apparently a little nearer. 

^^We shall scare away the last deer in these 
woods,” thought Sylvanus, ^'but I donT care. 
Old Aaron is sure to find me now.” 

He piled more green stuff on his fire, to in- 
crease the smoke, and then sat down to wait 
impatiently for his brother's arrival, watching 
the woods intently for the first sign of his com- 


76 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ing. At last he heard footsteps crashing through 
the woods, but, to his surprise, coming from 
behind him. Turning, there was Aaron. 

^^How did you happen to come from that 
quarter?’’ asked Sylvanus. was looking for 
you this way.” 

^^You were turned around then, and looking 
the wrong way,” said Aaron. 

^^Why, isn’t the river off here?” asked Syl- 
vanus, pointing to his left. 

No, sir, it ’s over here,” said Aaron, pointing 
in the opposite direction. 

^^Well, I was completely turned around,” 
said Sylvanus. ^^If you had not appeared, I 
was about starting off this way, farther from 
the river, as it seems.” 

^^You would have brought up on Hoosac 
Mountain if you had kept travelling in that 
direction,” said Aaron. “Old fellow, you’ve 
led me a fine chase, and given me a good scare 
besides. It ’s a ticklish thing to be lost in these 
woods.” 

“I’ve had lots of time to think about that,” 
said Sylvanus. “I never was quite so glad to 
hear anything in my life as that gun of yours.” 

“Halloo, what’s this?” exclaimed Aaron, as 
he approached the fallen logs. “Why, boy, 
here’s your deer!” 



“ Sjlvaniis liad fatally wounded the deer.” Paye 77 






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LOST. 


77 


Sylvanus had fatally wounded the deer, 
which, after its frantic race, had dropped dead 
behind this barrier of logs. Sylvanus, in his 
delight, forgot that he was tired, and Aaron 
was almost as pleased as he, having had no 
success himself. 

^^That ’s a fine deer,” said Aaron. 

^^The question is, what shall we do with it?” 
asked Sylvanus. I want to take it home, but 
it^s growing dark already.” 

We will take the skin anyway, and the best 
part of the meat,” said Aaron. think we 
can manage it, by hurrying. We can follow 
the river down home, even in the dark.” 

A deer^s skin was too useful to be wasted. 
The boys drew out their hunting knives, and 
worked their fastest, dressing and skinning the 
carcass with a skill given by much practice. 
Cutting out the best part of the flesh, they tied 
it in the skin, and ran a stout pole through the 
bundle. Each took an end of the stick on his 
shoulder, and, thus laden, they started for the 
river bank. 

The remains of the carcass, left behind in the 
woods, quickly became the prey of wolves and 
foxes that glided out from the surrounding 
thickets, eager for the feast. 

Fortunately, Aaron, more experienced in 


78 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


woodcraft than his brother, had been careful 
to keep his bearings, and a tough half hour’s 
scramble down hill at last brought the boys to 
the welcome sight of the Deerfield River, 
brawling swiftly along over its stony bed, be- 
tween great wooded hills that rose up into 
mountains. The dim light made the surround- 
ings seem more grand and awe-inspiring. 

’m glad to see that river again,” said Syl- 
vanus, panting after his hard scramble through 
the bushes with their heavy load. 

We are as good as home now,” said Aaron. 
“Of course, we’ve a few miles to walk, and 
it’s a pretty hard pull with this load, after 
our all-day hunt. But at least we are in no 
danger of getting lost so long as we stick to 
the river.” 

Meantime, at home, Mrs. Rice began to feel 
uneasy, as supper time came and yet no boys 
appeared. 

“ I ’m sure it ’s high time the boys were home, 
father,” she said, when the captain came in 
with the milk pails. 

“The chances are they will not get back 
until dark,” said the captain. “Don’t worry, 
mother. The boys are used to the woods. 
They are pretty good hunters, if they are my 
boys.” 


LOST. 


79 


know that,” said Mrs. Rice. ^^But it 
seems so long since they left home, and so many 
things might have happened to them.” 

'^Don^t borrow trouble, wife. It comes fast 
enough without borrowing,” said the captain, 
as he seated himself on the settle near the fire, 
the better to see by its flickering light to mend 
an ox yoke he had in hand. Here, too, his 
whittlings could readily be swept into the fire 
with the broom of birch twigs standing con- 
veniently near. 

Tired little Artemas had already climbed the 
ladder to bed, and the girls and their mother 
took out their knitting. But conversation 
lagged and was but fitful, for all were listening 
for footsteps. 

^^Hark! I hear footsteps!” exclaimed Mrs. 
Rice. 

The sounds proved to be only old Dolly out- 
side, treading about as she fed on the green 
grass under the window. 

The darkness increased, until thick night 
settled down, unlit even by starlight, for gray 
clouds shrouded the sky, promising a rain- 
storm. The captain dropped his work, took 
down his gun from the deer horns over the 
mantel which served as a gun rest, and said, 
with ill-affected cheerfulness: 


80 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


I guess, mother, I ^11 go up the river a piece 
and meet the boys.^^ 

Something may happen to you too,^^ said 
Mrs. Rice, her face pale, but resolutely holding 
back her tears. “And then we women will be 
left here all alone. 

“Don’t you fear, mother. I ’ll protect you,” 
said Dinah. “You know I can fire a gun as 
well as any man of them.” 

The captain departed, and the ominous 
silence all around, the sense of impotent wait- 
ing for trouble, grew more profound. The 
mother tried to lift her heavy heart in prayer 
to God for help, whence only help could come. 
Suddenly Tamar cried: 

“Hark, what was that? I’m sure I heard 
Sylvanus’s voice!” 

All the anxious watchers now heard, coming 
faintly from the distance, a cheery cry of : 

“Halloo! Halloo! All’s well!” 

Their hearts leaped at once from deep de- 
spondency to greatest joy. Mrs. Rice and the 
girls hurried to the door, their faces beaming 
with radiant smiles. 

“Thank God for his mercies!” exclaimed 
Mrs. Rice. “ I was sure I never should see my 
boys again.” 

“I thought so too, mother,” said Tamar, 


LOST. 


81 


^^Here they come,” said Dinah, as into the 
broad ray of light streaming down the hill 
from the front door walked Captain Rice and 
the young hunters. 

“Well, madam,” said the captain, radiant 
with the relief from the anxiety which he too 
had felt, “ here are your boys, safe and sound, 
and with a fine mess of venison for you too.” 

“I had almost rather never have venison 
than to suffer such anxiety,” said Mrs. Rice. 

Dinah hastened to put the long-handled fry- 
ing pan on the fire, and soon the savory odor 
of fried venison filled the room, a welcome feast 
to the tired and hungry boys. They, mean- 
time, were telling their adventures, omitting, 
however, to mention the fact that Sylvanus had 
been lost. 

“It will only worry mother more the next 
time we go out,” said Sylvanus. “Let’s not 
tell her.” 

“It is better to say nothing about it to her,” 
said Aaron. 

But their father had heard the whole story, 
and his family prayer that night was full of 
thanksgiving to God for his loving kindness. 

The storm had now broken, and, when the 
boys went up to bed, the rain was pounding 
on the roof and dashing against the windows, 
6 


82 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


while the wind roared through the woods around 
like a maddened spirit. 

Tired Sylvanus, as he sank into bed, sleepy 
though he was, could but think: 

“But for God^s mercy, I might have been 
lying far out in the woods alone this night. I 
might never have seen home again. 

And he tried to murmur a prayer of thanks- 
giving, deeply felt, if he did drop asleep before 
he reached the “Amen.’^ 


CHAPTER VII. 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 

O NE pleasant July afternoon, towards even- 
ing, Dinah, going to the spring for water, 
saw down the river two horsemen riding up the 
path. As the Rices had seen no human being 
from the outside world since their arrival, this 
was an exciting event. 

Dinah ran up to the house with long strides. 
Mother!^' she cried. Two men are coming! 
I saw them but now riding along the path.’^ 
“Two men! I wonder who they can be and 
what brings them here,” said Mrs. Rice, while 
Tamar and Artemas, making no secret of their 
curiosity, ran to the door just in time to 
see the two strangers alighting under the 
buttonball tree. 

The riders proved to be young Othniel Taylor 
and his brother Jonathan, who, as has been 
related, had purchased a tract of land on the 
river below the captain^s. Mrs. Rice, who had 
met them at Deerfield, gave them cordial wel- 


come. 


84 


BOYS OF THE BORDfiH. 


''You see, Mrs. Rice, we have followed hard 
on your trail, said Othniel. 

" What brings you out here? ” asked Mrs. Rice. 

"We have come to begin clearing our land, 
ready for occupation. If all goes well, we hope 
to be living here by another year/^ 

"You see, Mrs. Rice,” said Jonathan, "Oth- 
niel is a married man now, so must think of 
making a home for his pretty bride. He and 
young Mistress Martha Arms were sphced by 
Parson Ashley last month.” 

Mrs. Rice offered hearty congratulations to 
the blushing Othniel, saying: 

" I am rejoiced at the prospect of soon having 
neighbors. The captain and I will gladly do 
anything we can to aid you.” 

"We hoped we could arrange to lodge with 
you nights while at work up here,” said Othniel. 

"We will gladly keep you, if you can put up 
with the poor accommodations which are all we 
have to offer,” said Mrs. Rice. 

"We do not come out into the wilderness 
expecting to find a Boston tavern,” said Othniel. 
" Settlers in a new region must expect to rough 
it. What is good enough for you will answer 
for us.” 

WTien Captain Rice and the boys came home, 
they too were glad to see some one from the 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 85 

outside world. Othniel had brought the cap- 
tain several letters and papers which the post- 
rider from Boston had left at Deerfield post 
office some weeks previous. The Rices’ only 
link with the outside world was by way of 
Deerfield. The family had a happy evening 
over the letters from absent friends, being 
especially glad to hear from Samuel at Rutland. 
The newspapers too were of absorbing interest, 
their intelligence of the world’s doings, though 
weeks old, being still news to the Rices. 

am so happy,” said Mrs. Rice during the 
evening’s talk, “because we may have the 
Taylors for neighbors next year.” 

“Oh, we shall have neighbors in plenty all 
around us before long; another Deerfield village, 
I expect, springing up here in the valley of the 
upper Deerfield, to mate that down below,” 
said the captain. 

“The captain’s hopefulness runs away with 
him sometimes, I think,” said Mrs. Rice. 

“Hardly in this case,” said Othniel Taylor. 
“If peace continues, these fertile meadows and 
wooded uplands along the river are sure to be 
taken up soon by settlers. Good land is in 
demand. Settlements are spreading to the 
north in all directions. Northfield is growing, 
since we have had peace. At Falltown there 


86 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


are eight or ten families, and they have a church 
and a minister of their own. And over here 
to the northeast, Boston Township No. 2 has 
a church, and has lately changed its name to 
Colerain, in honor of Baron Colerain of Ireland, 
who, Tis reported, has promised to send them 
a church bell. You know the settlers there 
are chiefly Scotch-Irish; sturdy folk, the right 
stuff for pioneers.’^ 

^^Well, well, No. 2 is getting on,^^ said the 
captain. We must look out, or she will 
leave us out of sight. We cannot build a 
meeting-house yet, but we will ere many years 
roll by.’^ 

^^And a mill too, I hope, on our fine mill 
brook,’’ said Aaron. 

‘^Yes, certainly. All in good time,’’ said the 
captain. ^^Rome wasn’t built in a day.” 

As Saturday drew near, to her joy Tamar 
heard her father tell his wife : 

^^We must go down to Deerfield to mill 
Saturday, so you and the girls will have a 
chance to go to meeting.” 

The Rices had not been to Deerfield since 
coming to their new home. Mrs. Rice was 
happy, and the young people greatly excited 
at this opportunity of getting out into the 
world again. All were to go except Sylvanus, 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 87 

who must stay at home to milk the cows and 
care for things generally. 

Bright and early Saturday morning the Httle 
cavalcade set out from the log house. The 
horses were all laden with bags of grain. Syl- 
vanus stood under the buttonball tree watching 
the others depart, a little wistful as his brothers 
and sisters called back joyful good-byes to him. 

^^Take good care of yourself, Sylvanus,” 
said his mother. “Don’t run any risks or do 
anything rash while we are away.” 

“ The boy will be all right, Sarah. The 
Taylors will be here nights,” said the captain. 

“ I would n’t consent to leave him here, but 
for that,” said Mrs. Rice. 

“Old Bose will take care of me,” said Syl- 
vanus, patting the dog’s head. Bose, too, 
eyed the departing family somewhat wistfully, 
having been made to understand that he could 
not accompany them, as he had fully intended. 

“ It will be your turn to go next time, Syl- 
vanus,” said the captain. “We shall be back, 
God willing, Tuesday night.” 

“All right, father,” said Sylvanus, as he 
picked up his hoe and set off for the cornfield, 
thickly set with stumps, where, nevertheless, 
in the rich forest soil, the young corn was grow- 
ing rampantly, and the weeds too. 

I 


88 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


I rather be riding to Deerfield this hot 
day than hoeing corn here alone, with only 
old Bose to speak to all day long. But never 
mind! Some one must stay at home, and, as 
father said, it will be my turn to go next time,’’ 
thought Sylvanus. 

As the Rices rode on down the river they 
heard the sound of chopping, and soon came 
out into the clearing where the young Taylors 
were hard at work felling the great trees cover- 
ing their land. 

The captain, who rode ahead, suddenly held 
his hand out to check the rest, crying: 

Halt I” 

All drew in their horses, none too soon, as a 
huge old maple tumbled over with a crash, its 
green head low on the path just before them. 

Jonathan and Othniel, axes in hand, stood 
by it. 

“Hard at it, eh, boys?” said the captain. 

“Yes, we’re tumbling them down tolerably 
fast. But it’s slow work,” said Othniel. 

“ Steady digging away is what tells. 

‘Little strokes 
Fell great oaks/ 

as Poor Richard says,” said the captain. 

The Taylors hastened to clear the path for 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 89 

the Rices to pass. As Mrs. Rice looked around 
at the opening thickly set with stumps, and 
scattered over with heaps of great logs saved 
to build the house that was to be, the branches 
piled apart for burning, she said: 

never realized before, Moses, how much 
work you and the boys did the summer before 
we came up here.’^ 

Als the Rices rode on, Othniel said: 

‘^Tell Martha we are getting on well, and I 
shall be down home next week for a while.’’ 

The Rices’ path, after leaving the river, ran 
much of the way steeply down hill, and being 
rough at best, with plenty of rocks cropping 
out, strewn with rolling stones and fallen 
branches, the riders had to keep tight reins, 
and give careful attention to their horses, that, 
laden as they were, picked their way along 
cautiously and slowly. 

It was nearing sundown when they reached 
the last descent from the hills leading down 
to the Deerfield ford. Below them the roofs 
of Deerfield peered above the tree tops, the 
gilt weathercock on the meeting-house spire 
glittering in the last rays of sunlight, which 
lay warm on the slope of Mount Pocumtuck 
beyond the village. Through the meadows 
below wound the beautiful river, their own 


90 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Deerfield, and Pine Hill, already darkened by 
the shadow of the western mountain, rose 
near by. 

^^We must hasten on as fast as our tired 
nags can carry us, or the sun will set, and we 
shall break the Sabbath,’’ said the captain. 

Surely our lateness will be excused, con- 
sidering the distance we have had to travel,” 
said his wife. 

Perchance. But I would rather avoid giv- 
ing occasion for talk if possible,” said the 
captain. 

I know I am glad of one thing,” said Tamar, 
as her horse splashed into the shallow water of 
the ford. ‘^This river is not so terrifying to 
ride through as it was last spring.” 

Who can describe the pleasure felt by these 
sturdy pioneers, who had dwelt so long apart 
in the wilderness, in riding up the long street 
among houses standing thickly each side the 
way, seeing people they knew here and there? 
Deerfield seemed like a great city to them. 

“Look, Tamar,” said Dinah, as they rode 
past Captain Williams’s store. “ There is some 
new flowered stuff for gowns in the store window 
such as I ne’er saw before. It comes from 
Boston, I dare say. I would like a gown of it.” 

“So would I,” said Tamar. “And oh, see. 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 91 

Dinah, there are Freedom French and the 
Nims girls and Eunice Allen. Eunice must 
have come up from the Bars to visit her cousins, 
the Hawkses. How d’ye do, girls?” 

Artemas exchanged smiles and friendly nods 
with Abner Hawks, whom they passed just 
then. But now their mother checked the 
children, saying: 

^^Hush, children. The sun is just setting. 
It is not seemly to indulge in hght talk now.” 

The last hngering ray of sunhght had indeed 
vanished from the summit of Mount Pocumtuck 
when the travellers dismounted at Lieutenant 
Hoyt’s tavern. Tired though they were, the 
young people would gladly have run out to see 
some of their friends. But Sunday had begun 
and must be strictly observed. After talking a 
httle with Jonathan and his sister Nabby, they 
were glad to go to bed. Captain Rice sat up 
longer, for he found stopping at the Hoyts’, Capt. 
John Burk of Falltown, Lieutenant Hoyt’s son-in- 
law, and the captain was much interested to 
learn the progress of this new settlement. 

‘‘We are getting ahead well,” said Burk, 
“ considering that it is only five years since the 
Sheldons and I began the settlement. We have 
a meeting-house and a settled minister. Rev. 
John Norton, a godly and devout young man. 


92 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


We have a gristmill and sawmill. New settlers 
are coming in, and I expect more soon.” 

hope, five years from now, I can tell as 
good a story for Boston Township No. 1,” said 
the captain. 

After the two girls had gone up to bed, 
Dinah said to Tamar: 

^^What great piece of news do you suppose 
Nabby told me to-night? She is engaged to 
be married!” 

^^Why, is she? To whom?” asked Tamar, 
all interest at once. 

^^To young Matthew Clesson, who lives just 
across the street. Her father thinks highly 
of him. Though barely twenty, he has already 
done brave service as a scout, serving some 
time up at Fort Dummer under Captain Kellogg, 
Nabby said.” 

“ When will they be married?” 

^^This coming fall, probably in October.” 

“How I wish we could come down to the 
wedding!” 

“So do I, but I fear that is hardly possible.” 

The Rices felt it a great privilege to attend 
divine service next day, and worship with fel- 
low behevers. Their fife of hard toil, isolation, 
and exposure could hardly have been borne 
without a strong sense of reliance on God, the 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 


93 


Omnipotent. It was a real help and comfort 
to lift up their voices in hymn and psalm, to 
listen to prayer and sermon, to acknowledge 
humbly their sense of dependence on God by 
joining in his public worship, in the house con- 
secrated to his service. 

Monday morning Captain Rice and the boys, 
aided by Jonathan Hoyt, started for the mill, 
three miles south of the village. On reaching 
the house of Sergeant John Hawks at the South 
End, out of the yard came a steady old horse, 
bearing two children, a boy holding the reins, 
and a girl sitting behind him on the pillion. 

‘^There’s Abner Hawks, said Artemas. 

Halloo, Abner. Where are you going? 

^^Down to the Bars, to carry my cousin 
Eunice home,’’ said Abner. “If you are going 
down to mill, I shall be glad to ride along with 
you.” 

“So shall I,” piped up Eunice’s girlish voice, 
“for I ’m terribly afraid of Indians.” 

“Indians! What nonsense!” said Abner. 
“No Indians come around now save once in a 
while some friendly visitors, to trade their furs 
with Captain Williams. It ’s as much as six or 
seven years since that old squaw that lived 
near your father’s disappeared, and she was 
the last Indian living around here.” 


94 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


can’t help it,” said Eunice. '^1 ’m afraid 
of them all the same. I never like to play 
Indian.” 

Why, don’t you? I love it,” said Artemas. 

Samuel and Caleb, and Simeon Amsden are 
always playing Indian, and teasing me to be 
an Indian squaw, but I never will. I dread 
the thought of them,” said Eunice. 

Probably you have heard many stories of 
the old times, and the cruel slaughter of your 
father’s uncle, John Allen, and his wife, in 
1704,” said the captain. 

^^Yes,” said Eunice, ^‘and they lived right 
where we do now.” 

No doubt that has made an impression you 
cannot easily shake off. It is not strange if 
little girls in Deerfield have a terror of Indians,” 
said the captain kindly. 

^^But it was all so long ago,” said Abner. 

When, in the south meadow, they crossed 
over a tiny meadow brooklet, half buried in the 
long grass overhanging it, Abner called to Arte- 
mas: 

Artemas, this is the place where Joseph 
Barnard was shot by the Indians. The Indians 
hid in those bushes just above, and when Bar- 
nard and Godfrey Nims and the others were 
nearly here, their horses began to sniff — ” 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 95 

Here, by an odd coincidence, Abner^s staid 
old horse sniffed and looked around in a 
startled manner. Eunice cried out, and even 
the bold Abner blenched a little, though he 
said stoutly: 

Pshaw, Eunice, don’t be so silly.” 

Nevertheless he clapped his heels against the 
old horse’s side, urging her into a slow trot, 
which brought them close behind Captain Rice’s 
horse. But Abner left the story of Joseph 
Barnard unfinished. 

After riding two miles below the village they 
came to the Bars, and soon after to the house 
of Samuel Allen, Eunice’s father. The house 
was a large, two-story dwelling, with a long, 
sloping roof behind, standing on a slight rise of 
ground.' Fertile green meadows girt the dwell- 
ing on all sides, and in front Mount Pocumtuck 
rose boldly up against the sky. 

Out of the door came Samuel Allen, to lift 
his little girl down from the horse, and after 
him trooped Samuel and Caleb, Chloe and 
Hannah, all glad to see their sister back again, 
and eager to hear her experiences. 

^^Well, daughter, did you have a nice time 
with your cousins?” said Mr. Allen. sup- 
pose there will be lots of talk now, when you 
tell your sisters all the news.” 


96 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Mr. Allen was glad to meet Captain Rice, and 
said: 

If you have to wait for your grist, Captain, 
you and your boys had better ride back here 
and take dinner with us.” 

Captain Rice was glad to accept this invita- 
tion, for not until late afternoon was he able 
to get his grist and return to Deerfield village. 
During the waiting time. Captain Rice and 
Aaron found much to discuss with Mr. Allen, 
while Artemas had great fun playing Indian 
with the Allen and Amsden children, who took 
him down to an old wigwam still standing on 
the bank of a small brook running near the 
Allen house. 

“This was the wigwam of old Kichkene- 
chequah,” said Caleb Allen. “She lived here 
a good while with her sick son. When he 
died, my father buried him up on that hill in 
the woods yonder.” 

“We call it ^ Squaw Hill,’” said Eunice. 

“Old Kichkenechequah used to keep all her 
blankets and best things up in our attic,” said 
little Samuel. 

“When she left,” continued Caleb, “she dug 
up her son’s bones, scraped and washed them 
clean, tied them up in a pack, and carried them 
away with her. And she has never come back.” 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 97 

^‘Father and mother were very kind to her 
and her sick son,” said Eunice, ^^and they 
always thought she would come back some 
time to make a visit. But she never has.” 

Having a real Indian wigwam to play in 
lent much zest to the sport of playing Indian, 
and that night Artemas said to Tamar: 

You ought to have been there, Tamar. We 
had such fun. I wish we lived down at the 
Bars, so I could have Caleb and Samuel, and 
Simeon Amsden to play with all the time!”^ 

Early Tuesday morning the Rices set out for 
home, all feeling refreshed by the change and 
the meeting with friends. Mrs. Rice had done 
a little shopping at Captain Williams’s store, 
improving the opportunity to purchase some 
needed articles not to be found in the woods of 
Boston Township No. 1. 

The captain, anxious to raise his own pork, had 
purchased two pigs. These had to be driven the 
twenty-two miles to their new home, but being of 
the razor-back variety, their long legs and lank 
sides made them nimble and active, and they were 
quite equal to the trip, also giving Aaron and Ar- 
temas plenty of exercise along the way. Half 
the time the boys had to walk, shouting after 
and chasing the pigs, they being evidently firmly 

^ Appendix A. 

7 


98 


BOYS 01' THE BORDliJR. 


resolved to go anywhere but in the path, when- 
ever its narrow way afforded a chance to get 
out, one side or the other. 

These pigs have done everything except 
climb a tree,’^ exclaimed the weary Aaron. 

How, meantime, had Sylvanus fared in his 
lonely housekeeping? Busy at work, he did 
not realize his loneliness until he went home 
to dinner. His mother had left a pot of 
bean porridge hanging on the crane. He had 
only to rake open the banked-up fire, throw on 
some light wood, swing the crane over the 
blaze, and his dinner was ready. Bose had a 
big porringer of brown bread and hot bean 
porridge set down for his share. But Bose 
seemed to feel strange and lonely. He trotted 
about the house, pushing open the bedroom 
door, looking everywhere for his friends, then 
came and sat down close to Sylvanus, looking 
up in his face with a wistful whine. 

^^Yes, I know it, old fellow,” said Sylvanus. 
“ It ^s awful lonesome. I donT know what I 
should do if I hadnT you to talk to. You 
must stick by me, for you are the only friend 
I have.” 

Bose tagged faithfully at Sylvanus^s heels all 
day, lying on the ground near by as Sylvanus 
hoed. Both he and his master were glad to 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 99 

see the Taylors when the young woodsmen 
came home at night. 

Monday morning Sylvanus thought: 

Before I go to work I ’ll run over and ex- 
amine our turkey trap. We may have caught 
something.” 

Wild turkeys were plenty in the woods, as 
indeed was all game. The day before the Rices 
left home the boys had made a turkey trap out 
in the woods, a half mile or so beyond the house. 
They had dug a large hole in the ground and 
covered it with tree branches, digging a sloping 
path from outside down into the pit. Along 
this pathway they scattered grains of corn. 
As turkeys never look down except when feed- 
ing, once enticed into the pit, they would not 
be able to get out again. 

^‘Now we shall see what we shall see,” said 
Aaron, as the boys left the trap. 

hope we shall see a flock of turkeys in 
there,” said Sylvanus. 

shall be satisfied with one good fat gob- 
bler,” said Aaron. 

Sylvanus took his gun down from the buck 
horns, for without a gun it was not safe to go 
into the woods, and, closely followed by Bose, 
set off into the vast forest which pressed closely 
up around the little clearing on every side, tall. 


100 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


dense, dark, mysterious — the silent abode of 
wild creatures innumerable. 

Entering the woods, Bose suddenly showed 
signs of great excitement, and, springing past 
Sylvanus, disappeared in the thicket. 

Sylvanus grasped his gun more tightly, scan- 
ning the dark depths of the woods closely. 
Now he heard loud barking from Bose, followed 
by yelps of pain. 

'^Some wild beast has hold of him,’’ thought 
Sylvanus, running ahead. 

Coming in sight of his turkey trap, he saw a 
big gobbler running wildly up and down in it. 
Another turkey lay dead near the pit’s entrance, 
evidently killed by a large wolf, whom Bose 
had found stealing his master’s game, and had 
promptly attacked. 

The wolf was large, fierce and gaunt with 
hunger, and was proving too much for Bose, 
when his master appeared in the nick of time. 
Sylvanus fired at once, but in his excitement 
taking too hasty aim the ball only grazed the 
wolf s back, wounding him slightly. 

The wolf released Bose, and sprang furiously 
at Sylvanus, clawing his bare feet and legs 
till they bled. Sylvanus fired again, this time 
kilhng the wolf. 

Bose’s right leg was badly torn and bleeding. 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. lOl 

but he still managed to limp and hop around 
his foe, sniffing at the dead body lying prone 
on the ground. 

We will take his ears, Bose,’’ said Sylvanus, 
drawing out his hunting knife> ^^for I may get 
a bounty for him. Thirty good shillings will 
not come amiss.” ^ 

Tuesday night, long after sundown, the tired 
party from Deerfield rode slowly along the river 
bank in the thickening dusk, glad to be so near 
their journey’s end. Even the pigs were worn 
out and content to plod stupidly along, with 
occasional grunts which, no doubt, expressed 
their opinion of the foolishness of mankind, 
capable of undertaking such a jaunt and driving 
respectable pigs with them. 

There ’s the home light now, up on the hill- 
side,” said Aaron. '^We’re almost there.” 

'^How cheerful it does look to see candle- 
light, after riding so long through the dark 
woods!” said Dinah. 

^^It shows that Sylvanus is alive, anyway,” 
said his mother. “ I wonder what the boy will 
have for us to eat.” 

^^I’m hungry as a bear,” said Artemas. 

“So am I,” said Tamar. 

“We all are,” said Dinah. “But don’t 

1 Appendix B. 


102 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


worry about supper, mother. I ^11 soon make 
a nice pot full of hasty pudding from this fresh 
ground meal we are bringing home.” 

As the travellers halted at the open door, 
where the firelight streamed invitingly out into 
the dark night, what delicious odor greeted 
their eager nostrils? 

Roast turkey ! ” shouted Artemas. I smell 
turkey!” 

And roast turkey it was. Sylvanus, who, 
with fire-flushed face, turned to greet them 
joyfully, and Bose, that limped about them, 
barking wildly, both led the way to the fire- 
place, where, before the blaze, twirled on a 
stout string the fat turkey gobbler, brown and 
crisp, done to a turn. 

^‘Well done, boy! You are a credit to the 
family,” said the captain. 

^^Bose seems to want us to understand that 
he had a hand in the business,” said Aaron. 

^^He certainly did, — at least a paw,” said 
Sylvanus. 

Mrs. Rice and Dinah now took charge of the 
turkey and the supper, while Sylvanus, aided 
by Bose, whose interest in the newcomers proved 
altogether too lively, helped get the pigs into 
the stout new pen, well palisaded against wolves, 
prepared for them. The young pigs, being a 


TO MILL AND TO MEETING. 


103 


novelty, were great pets with the children, 
who fed them on the fat of the land, until 
the pigs, could they have expressed their 
thoughts, must have felt. 

We are indeed 'pigs in clover.’” 


CHAPTER VIIL 


SOME VISITOES. 


HE Rices were all so busily at work that the 



1 summer passed quickly away, and autumn 
came before any one could believe it. Autiunn 
brought a double share of work, in harvesting 
all crops, laying in stores, preparing in every 
way for the long siege of winter ahead. At 
last winter arrived. 

One Sunday, when there was a little leisure 
from the round of incessant work, Mrs. Rice 
sat with her Bible on her lap at the front 
window, looking off across the snow-covered 
meadow and river to the high mountain peaks 
and ranges beyond, their crust ghttering in 
the brilliant sunshine, their tall pines and hem- 
locks bowed down with a heavy weight of snow, 
the bare branches of the deciduous trees gleam- 
ing with ice. Not a moving object was any- 
where to be seen. A white silence lay over 
the whole visible world. 

Listen to this, Sarah,’’ said the captain, 
who sat before the fire, toasting his feet in 


SOME VISITORS. 105 

unwonted leisure, while he re-read the numbers 
of Poor Richard^s Almanac, which his son 
Samuel had sent up to him by the last mail 
the Rices had received, when the boys rode 
down to Deerfield mill in the late autumn. 
The captain dehghted in the shrewd worldly 
wisdom and sound practical common sense of 
Poor Richard, and often quoted his sayings. 

Listen to this,’’ said the captain. ^^You 
would think Poor Richard was looking out our 
front window.” 

He read aloud : 

^^The Hills, the Dales, and the delightful Woods, 

The flowery Plains and Silver-streaming Floods, 

By snow disguised, in bright Confusion lie. 

And with one dazzling Waste fatigue the eye.^^ 

Truly it does Hatigue the eye,’” said Mrs. 
Rice with a sigh. 

You are not homesick still, are you, Sarah?” 
asked the captain. 

^^No, but I cannot help dreading this long 
time of being shut in here by ourselves through 
the cold winter. It is foolish to borrow trouble, 
I know. But, if any of us fall sick up here, 
what shall we do?” 

^^Do the best we can,” said the captain 
stoutly. ^^You have dried herbs enough hang- 


106 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ing from the loft rafters to cure a regiment. 
But we shall not be sick. We are all strong and 
healthy. My crops turned out unusually well, 
and we have, thank God, ample provision in 
store to carry us through the winter, with care. 

‘Plough deep, while Sluggards sleep, 

And you shall have Com to sell and to keep,* 

says Poor Richard. And so it has proved with 
us. We shall weather the winter all right, and 
next summer, God willing, after such a good 
beginning this year, we shall get ahead much 
faster. The first year is much the hardest. 
Perhaps we can build our gristmill next year.’’ 

We certainly have been wonderfully favored, 
beyond what we could have expected,” said 
Mrs. Rice. 

Trust the future to God, Sarah, and do the 
best you can to-day. That is my motto,” said 
the captain. 

Even in winter there was plenty of work 
for all. Whatever was used on the farm must 
be made at home. There were no stores to 
run to, and little money to spend. Mrs. Rice, 
aided by her girls, baked and brewed, spun and 
, wove, made butter and cheese, sewed and knit, 
not only making all garments for the large 
family, but also weaving the cloth and spinning 


SOME VISITORS. 


107 


the yarn used. The father and boys cared for 
the stock, hackled and swingled the flax, 
threshed the corn, shovelled snow, chopped 
down trees, and hauled great loads of wood on 
a rude sled of home manufacture from the 
surrounding forest, until the pile in the wood 
yard was nearly as high as the log cabin itself. 
Stormy days and evenings the men made and 
repaired tools and furniture. 

The boys, during the evenings, made them- 
selves a long sled, and sometimes took the 
girls on, coasting from the front door down the 
hill and far off across the meadow to the river^s 
brink, shouts and merry laughter making the 
silent hills all around ring. 

One day Mrs. Rice stood watching the chil- 
dren coast, smiling as she saw their sport. The 
captain said : 

Not much sickness there, eh, mother? The 
young folks don't look much as if they were in 
need of a doctor." 

The rosy cheeks and bright eyes of the young 
folks, as they came running up on the crust for 
another slide down, certainly justified the cap- 
tain's confidence. 

The boys made snowshoes on which they 
and their father occasionally went hunting in 
the woods, bringing back game which was a 


108 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


welcome change from salt meats and fish, and 
which helped eke out their store of provisions. 

Sometimes came stormy days and nights, 
when the wind roared wildly through the 
naked woods, and the snow blew in clouds 
around the log cabin, threatening wholly to 
bury it from sight. Wolves were plenty, often 
howling around the house at night, a dreary 
sound that made Tamar snuggle up closer to 
Dinah, and often obliged the captain and Aaron 
to turn out of their warm beds and, guns in 
hand, go forth to barn and pens to make sure 
that all their animals were safe. 

But now winter began to show signs of weak- 
ening its rigid hold. The days grew longer, the 
sun shone warmer and brighter, the long icicles 
glistening from the eaves dripped fast in the 
middle of the day, and the snow, which covered 
the ground for three or four feet on a level, 
began to shrink and settle. Spring was cer- 
tainly coming, and every one felt hopeful and 
encouraged. 

One March evening the Rices were all settled 
at their various occupations. Mrs. Rice was 
knitting heavy socks of blue yarn, Dinah was 
spinning at the wheel in the back of the room, 
her tall, lithe young form bending and swaying 
with unconscious grace as she plied the wheel 


SOME VISITORS. 


109 


finger, and deftly twisted the long rolls into 
yarn. Tamar was at work with the little quill 
wheel, filling quills for her mother’s use on the 
loom. 

^^Oh dear,” said Tamar, wish quills would 
fill themselves. I’m tired of doing it.” 

“Perhaps you would like to pound samp for 
a change,” said Artemas. “I wouldn’t mind 
changing jobs.” 

Artemas was pounding corn into samp, in 
an “Indian mortar,” that is, a section of a big 
tree trunk, hollowed out at one end, which 
stood near the huge fireplace ready for use. 
In this Artemas pounded the corn with a large 
wooden pestle. He had been at work for some 
time, and his arms were tired. 

“Tut, tut,” said the captain, who sat with 
Aaron one side the fire busy with carpenter 
work, shavings piling up around them as they 
sawed and whittled. The captain was making 
a noggin, Aaron fashioning axe helves, while 
Sylvanus was shelling corn. “ Tut, tut, I don’t 
like to hear any children of mine complaining of 
a little work. ^ Diligence is the Mother of Good 
Luck,’ Poor Richard truly says, and he says too, 
^At the workingman’s House Hunger looks in, 
but dare not enter.’ Master Afraid-of-Work is 
apt to land in the almshouse.” 


no 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


The children were silent. But presently Ar- 
temas said: 

“May I crack some butternuts, father, after 
I finish the samp?’’ 

“Yes, we shall all enjoy some butternuts,” 
said the captain. 

Artemas now worked with more energy, and 
the samp was soon done, ready to boil for the 
morrow’s dinner. 

“ I ’m glad that ’s done,” said Artemas, as he 
took a big wooden bowl and went out into the 
woodhouse for his nuts. Dinah stopped spin- 
ing, saying: 

“ I must see if my dough is rising too fast.” 

As she lifted the wooden cover from the great 
bowl standing near the fire, Artemas came 
scampering back from the woodhouse, banging 
the door behind him, looking frightened. 

“ I heard something coming on the crust,” he 
said. “I did truly. Heavy footsteps.” 

Every one was a little startled, but the cap- 
tain said: 

“A moose probably. It’s rather too early 
for bears to be out. Take your guns, boys, 
and we — ” 

“Hark!” exclaimed Mrs. Rice. “I plainly 
hear footsteps. Some one is coming.” 

All now heard footsteps drawing near. Bose, 


SOME VISITORS. 


Ill 


barking furiously, ran to the door. The wooden 
latch rose, the door was pushed open, and three 
tall Indians entered the room ! They were 
wrapped in blankets and bore heavy packs on 
their backs. 

The family stared aghast at these unex- 
pected and unwelcome guests. But the cap- 
tain, quieting Bose, whom Sylvanus had to 
hold back by the collar, stepped forward, as 
the leader said: 

“ Netop, my brother. Metallak and his broth- 
ers go to Deerfield to sell their furs. They 
bring their white brother a present.” 

So saying, Metallak deposited at the captain^s 
feet a shoulder and flank of moose meat. 

The captain was sufficiently versed in Indian 
etiquette to receive this gift graciously, say- 
ing: 

“ Metallak brings good gifts. He makes my 
heart glad. What do Metallak and his brothers 
want? ” 

Metallak would lodge in his white brother’s 
wigwam to-night,” said the tall Indian. 

‘^You are welcome,” said the captain. ^^But 
first you must sup with us.” 

Mrs. Rice was looking at her guests with ill- 
concealed dismay, while Tamar and Artemas 
had prudently retreated behind Dinah and 


112 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Aaron, watching the Indians from afar with 
wondering curiosity. 

The captain took his wife one side, saying in 
low tone: 

We must let them stay, Sarah. You know 
I Ve often told you we were liable to have 
Indian visitors. It is most necessary to keep 
their good will in our isolated situation. And 
you must get them some food at once. That 
is the Indian custom among themselves, always 
to offer a guest food, no matter what time of 
day he arrive.’’ 

“Needs must when the devil drives, I sup- 
pose,” said Mrs. Rice. “But it is an awful trial.” 

Aaron swung the iron pot over the fire, and 
Dinah put some of the moose meat on to boil. 
When done, the boys carried each of the Indians 
a large trencher full, with huge chunks of rye 
and Indian bread. The Indians, sitting cross- 
legged on the floor, ate hungrily. 

The children watched them with mingled fear 
and interest. Their copper-colored faces, worn 
and weather-beaten, their long, oily black locks, 
their small keen eyes, glittering as they darted 
swift glances about, and their greedy manners 
as they grasped large handfuls of meat and 
cranuned them down, all were a new experi- 
ence to the children. 


SOME VISITORS. 


113 


Bose, to whom Metallak had thrown a piece 
of meat, swallowed this peace offering nearly 
whole, and now lay, his head on his paws, but 
with eyes wide open, never removing them from 
the Indians, giving expression to his inmost 
feelings by an occasional low growl. 

Artemas noticed with admiration the neck- 
laces worn by the Indians; long strings of the 
teeth and claws of wild animals. 

I dl make me such a necklace as that,^^ he 
thought, and stick feathers in my hair. Then 
I can put a blanket over me and come and 
scare Tamar.” 

When the Indians at last finished eating, the 
captain made them a present of tobacco, which 
evidently pleased them. 

“Whence comes Metallak?” asked the cap- 
tain. 

“From the winter hunt,” said Metallak. 
“The old Indian trail lies over the Forbidden 
Mountain.” Here he pointed towards Hoosac 
Mountain. “Often have the Indians travelled 
it, to trade with our white brother. Captain 
Williams at Deerfield. Never before have they 
found a white man^s wigwam on their trail. 
But Metallak and the Englishman are brothers. 
The Englishman has shared his wigwam and 
his food with the Indian. The Indians’ hearts 
8 


114 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


sing for joy. They say good words to their 
brother. The sun shines bright on the trail 
between their wigwams and his.” 

The captain duly expressed his desire for 
friendship in return. 

Sylvanus had by signs induced one of the 
Indians to allow him to examine an arrow, from 
a quiverful hanging on the Indian’s back. 

^^Him much good, heap good,” said Sylvanus, 
nodding his head, and pointing at the arrow. 

^^The white boy can easily make arrows like 
Dayohogo’s,” said the Indian. “Dayohogo’s 
arrow flies swift, like a bird, — hits the eagle 
on the wing.” 

Sylvanus examined the arrow closely, mean- 
ing to copy it. On the shaft a peculiar mark 
was cut, a sort of cross. Sylvanus pointed at 
it, looking inquiringly at Dayohogo. 

“That is Dayohogo’s mark,” said the Indian. 
“ Wherever the arrow flies, Dayohogo claims it, 
claims his own game.” 

Mrs. Rice meantime had drawn the captain 
into her bedroom for a whispered consultation. 

“Where are these Indians going to sleep?” 
she asked. 

“Oh, they’ll simply camp down on the 
kitchen floor in their blankets,” said the cap- 
tain. “No trouble about that.” 


SOME VISITORS. 115 

Will it be safe for us, do you think? asked 
Mrs. Rice. 

“Certainly. They are perfectly peaceable. 
You can go to bed and sleep without a fear.” 

When Tamar and Dinah were safely up in 
their bedroom in the loft, Tamar said : 

“ I ’m so glad the ladder comes up into the 
boys’ bedroom, and not into ours. Let me 
get in the back of the bed, behind you, Dinah. 
I know I shall not sleep a wink to-night. I 
can see those Indians’ sharp black eyes watch- 
ing me every time I shut my own.” 

“Don’t be such a little goose, Tamar,” said 
Dinah. “We must get used to seeing Indians 
once in a while, living here in the wilderness as we 
do. Go to sleep and think no more about them.” 

When Dinah was almost asleep, Tamar whis- 
pered : 

“Dinah, did you notice that Metallak’s shirt 
and leggings were trimmed with long hair? It 
looked like people’s hair.” 

“ ’Sh,” said the sleepy Dinah. 

Soon, in spite of her fears, Tamar’s eyelids 
closed, and sleep reigned in the log cabin over 
red and white alike. In the morning, after a 
good breakfast of fried pork and johnny-cake, 
the Indians took the trail for Deerfield, making 
Mrs. Rice a parting gift of a small beaver skin. 


116 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


‘^Well, I must say, if one is obliged to have 
Indians around, these were really quite decent,” 
said Mrs. Rice. ^^They ate enormously. We 
shall soon see the bottom of the pork barrel if 
we are called on to entertain many of them. 
But they brought us some moose meat, and I 
can make you a nice warm cap, Moses, from 
this beaver skin.” 


CHAPTER IX. 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 

T he last of April the Rice boys rode down 
to Deerfield to mill and for the mail. 
On their return, after delivering the precious 
mail which had accumulated in the Deerfield 
post office, and answering the women^s eager 
inquiries about the news among their Deerfield 
friends, Aaron improved the first lull in the talk 
to say : 

“Father, Jonathan thinks we shall make a 
great mistake if we donT go down to the Salmon 
Falls fishing next week.” 

“Is next week the time?” asked the captain. 
“Yes, Jonathan says there will be a great 
run of fish then, bound up stream to their 
spawning beds. He says that Sergeant Hawks 
and his brother-in-law, Samuel Allen, and 
Hawks’s two nephews, Gershom and Eleazer 
Hawks, and Oliver Amsden, and the Arms boys, 
the Nims boys, the Wellses, Timothy Childs, 
Aaron Denio, and I don’t know how many 
more — ” 


118 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“About all the men and boys in Deerfield, I 
should think, interjected Sylvanus. 

“ — are going up for the fishing the first of 
May. Can we go then too, father? 

“The spring planting will be right on by 
that time,’’ said the captain. “If I let you 
boys off for a couple of days, you must 
work extra smart till then, to make up for lost 
time.” 

“We will, father,” said the boys eagerly. 

And they kept their word, working with the 
inspiration of the coming holiday ever before 
them. Evenings they were busy making scoop- 
nets and seines, for which Jonathan had given 
them directions. 

May Day dawned bright and lovely, a heav- 
enly day. After the long months of wintry 
cold and snow-covered ground, the soft, balmy 
air, fragrant with the odor of the new grass 
that made the meadows a tender green, the 
summery sky, in whose deep blue a few downy 
clouds floated above the mountain tops, the 
melody of the warblers already migrating north, 
that fluttered from tree to tree, made the earth 
seem a sort of enchanted fairyland. 

The boys were full of happy excitement as 
they rode down the path, Aaron leading a 
third horse, laden with their baggage of nets, 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 119 

luncheon, meal bags to bring home the fish, 
and two old blankets for the night. 

“I wish I could go too,^^ said little Artemas, 
who often had the feeling that all the good 
times would be over before he could grow up. 

I would n^t mind going fishing myself to- 
day,^’ said Dinah. ^^It is almost too pleasant 
to be working indoors.” 

Anyway, Pm going to let Tumbler out,” 
said Artemas. I think he needs exercise.” 

He departed on this necessary errand, and it 
would be hard to say who enjoyed most the 
racing about and general “exercise” that fol- 
lowed, Artemas or Tumbler. 

“After I get my work done, this afternoon, 
I mean to make a little flower bed south of 
the house, and sow those pink and poppy seeds 
Freedom French sent up to me by the boys,” 
said Tamar. 

“I’ll help you dig up the ground,” said 
Dinah. 

In the afternoon the girls found working 
on the new flower bed an excellent excuse for 
being outdoors in the May sunshine, satisfying 
the soul’s innate longing for the peace and 
beauty of nature. 

Mrs. Rice too came out to watch the progress 
of the flower bed, making this an excuse for 


120 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


loitering outdoors a few minutes. When her 
seeds were sown, Tamar asked : 

^^May I run up, just to the edge of the woods, 
mother, for a few violet roots to set in my 
flower bed? I saw some lovely ones up there 
the other day.^’ 

“Yes, but you must not go into the woods. 
Don’t venture out of sight of the house, Tamar.” 

Tamar took an old knife and wooden bowl 
and skipped gayly away up hill towards the 
woods. Here she found not only blue and 
white violets in bloom, but spring beauties, 
bloodroot, and liverwort scattered about, 
the fair, delicate ' blossoms nodding lightly in 
the gentle breeze, shining out like stars from 
the green mossy turf where they grew. And, 
in the edge of the wood, the young ferns stood, 
their green spirals slowly uncoiling in the 
spring sunshine. 

“Oh, you darlings!” cried Tamar, as she 
held a bunch of the wild flowers caressingly 
to her lips. They seemed instinct with hfe, 
as if conscious of her love. 

When her bowl was full of plant roots, Tamar 
stopped a moment before going back home 
to look down on the lovely view below her. 
There was the log cabin in the foreground, and 
the tall, stately young buttonball before it. 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 121 

stretching its boughs over it as if in protection, 
boughs where the new leaves were crowding 
off the brown seed balls; farther on were the 
green meadows, through which ran the Deer- 
field, full after the spring rains, its waters 
gleaming hke silver in the sunlight, — Tamar 
could hear their rushing here on the hill top, — 
and beyond the picturesque mountains rose sky- 
ward, their trees covered with a mist of tender 
green leaf-buds half unfolded. The white birch 
trunks showed slender and white against the 
dark evergreens on the mountains. 

“Oh, Pm glad I’m alive!” exclaimed Tamar, 
throwing back her calash to let the sunshine 
bask full upon her head. 

At that moment she heard a sound, so slight 
as hardly to be noticeable, only the cracking 
of a twig. But Tamar well knew that no twig 
snaps itself. It was the footfall of man or 
wild beast. She started running, afraid to 
glance behind, yet impelled to look by her very 
terror. 

Striding along after her among the tree trunks 
she saw a file of Indians. Tamar now ran 
faster than before, if possible, but the Indians 
overtook her before she could reach the house. 
She was relieved to see that the leader was 
Metallak. 


122 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Little squaw, fear not,^’ said Metallak as 
he passed. Metallak and his brothers go to 
the falls of the Pocumtuck fishing. No harm 
silly little squaw.’’ 

Though this speech was not complimentary, 
it reassured Tamar, and she slackened her 
pace, watching the Indians as they strode on 
past the house, not stopping. 

was so frightened!” said Tamar, as she 
reached the house, where her mother stood 
in the door, anxiously watching her, having 
seen the Indians pass. I wish we did n’t live 
where Indians come. Just as I was feeling 
perfectly happy, out popped those Indians 
upon me!” 

^^It is one of our crosses,” said Mrs. Rice. 
“I suppose we shall get used to them after 
a while.” 

When the solitary trail, followed by Aaron 
and Sylvanus, came out of the woods near the 
falls, they found the usually lonely spot trans- 
formed into a scene of much animation. Many 
saddle-horses were tied to the trees round 
about, baggage of various sorts littered the 
ground, and thirty or more men and boys 
were running back and forth, some already 
busy fishing, some unloading and tying their 
horses, some just riding in from the south. 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 123 

The talking and laughing, the sound of so many 
cheerful voices, were exciting to the Rice boys, 
coming as they did from such a secluded life. 

Halloo, Aaron, Sylvanus ! shouted Jonathan 
Hoyt. ^'Glad to see you. You^re just on 
time. The salmon are jumping lively, and as 
for shad you could nT thrust a stick into the 
water without hitting a few.’^ 

Halloo, boys ! shouted Oliver Amsden. I 
just scooped up a salmon that will weigh thirty 
pounds, or I am no judge.’’ 

Don’t brag so loud, Oliver,” said David 
Wells. “You’re not the only fisherman here. 
Other folks are hauling in a few fish too.” 

Aaron and Sylvanus hurried to fasten their 
horses and get out their nets, excited at the 
animated scene. 

Sergt. John Hawks, Timothy Childs, John 
Catlin, and Aaron Denio seemed to be the 
leaders among the men. Denio was full of 
jokes; and loud laughter often rang out from 
the section where he was hauling his nets, 
below the falls. 

He had just drawn in a big net full of shining, 
struggling fish, writhing and tumbling about 
in vain efforts to escape the ruthless meshes 
that held them fast. Denio threw the flopping 
salmon high up on the bank, but the shad he 


124 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


tossed contemptuously back into the river, 
saying: 

Pork ’s plenty at my house. We have n^t 
come to eating shad yet.^^ 

^^Are you going to throw away the shad we 
catch, Aaron?” asked Sylvanus. 

I don’t know. Wait and see how we come 
out. If we catch plenty of salmon, I shall. 
But, if we don’t, we may as well fill up our bags 
with shad. I want mother should have her 
barrel full of salt fish.” 

Not very long after the arrival of the Rice 
boys, Metallak and his band appeared. 

There come the Indians,” said William 
Arms. ^^They are always sure to be on hand 
for their share of the salmon.” 

The Deerfield men knew these Indians, and 
friendly greetings were exchanged. Soon red 
men and white were fishing amicably together, 
some hauling seines in the still water below 
the falls, some catching fish in scoop-nets. 

At noon the scene was picnic-like. Fires 
were built, and fish broiling on the ends of 
sharp sticks filled the air with an appetizing 
odor to men and boys who had eaten nothing 
since their early breakfast in the dawning, and 
had been engaged in active work outdoors 
ever since. 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 125 

They sat about in little groups on logs or the 
ground, opening their lunch bags, exchanging 
drinks from the earthen bottles of root beer 
brewed by their thrifty wives, or from bottles 
which, perhaps, contained a stronger beverage. 
News was told, stories and jokes circulated, and 
after luncheon games were played, and trials 
of skill made. As the boys watched Matthew 
Clesson make a long standing jump, which 
called out loud applause, Sylvanus said : 

That is nT much. My sister Dinah can beat 
that. She can jump twice her own length.” 
donT believe it,” said Jonathan. 

^^ril get her to do it some time for you,” 
said Sylvanus. 

The boys were in a group by themselves, 
talking as they ate with infinite relish their 
dry luncheons and the broiled salmon. Now 
that so many of the fishermen had left the falls, 
the salmon were leaping up them. It was a 
beautiful sight to see a great fish rise in the air, 
its wet scales sparkling in the sun, soaring up 
and splashing into the water above the great 
rocks that made the falls. 

^^Ha, did you see that one, boys?” asked 
William Arms. ^^He barely made it; just 
caught on by his tail, you might say. I never 
saw anything better done.” 


126 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Watch Metallak and the other Indians,” 
said Oliver Amsden. “The Indians can cer- 
tainly beat us at that trick.” 

The Indians, armed with long spears, stood 
on the shore, and with a sure aim, born of much 
practice, speared many a salmon drawing near 
the falls for its upward leap. 

“For my part, I donT think the Indians 
have any right to come here fishing with white 
folks,” said Eleazer Wells. “No one wants 
them here, and they ought to know it.” 

“You’d best tell Metallak that,” said David 
Wells. “ He thinks the English have no business 
coming here to fish at the Indians’ fishing 
place. He says the Great Spirit gave this 
fishing place to the red men long before the 
foot of white man ever trod here.” 

“Pooh, that will do for Indian talk,” said 
Eleazer. 

“Before very long,” said Aaron, ^^some one 
will buy this land. Settlers are not likely to 
overlook this fertile valley, with such a natural 
water power as this. Gristmills and sawmills 
will be built here, and where will our fishing be 
then, to say nothing about the Indians’?” 

“The General Court has taken time by the 
forelock in that matter,” said Jonathan. “ Only 
last March they ordered that the Salmon Fish- 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 127 

ing Falls in Deerfield River be reserved for the 
use of the public, with twenty acres around 
them for the conveniency of fishing.’’ 
am glad to hear that,” said Aaron. 

“Talk about the Indians’ skill in spearing 
salmon, they can’t surpass Aaron Denio. He’s 
equal to any of them,” said Eleazer. 

“Aaron’s half French and half Indian, I 
might say,” said Oliver. “At least he lived 
with the Indians most of his childhood. His 
father was a Frenchman from Canada who 
happened to be living in Deerfield, and had 
just married Abigail Stebbins when the town 
was captured in 1704. Aaron was born in 
Canada. When he was about ten years old a 
band of Indians brought him with them to 
Deerfield to visit his grandfather, John Steb~ 
bins. When it was time for the Indians to go 
home, they could not find Aaron. He and his 
grandfather liked each other, and Aaron had 
hid, no doubt with his grandfather’s conni- 
vance, determined not to return to Canada. So 
Aaron grew up in Deerfield, and inherited most 
of his grandfather’s property. He is living at 
Green River now. But he has never forgotten 
his Indian training.” 

When night came the tired fishers camped 
on the ground, wrapping themselves up in 


128 BOYS OF THE BORDER. 

blankets. Some, like the Indians, cut spruce 
and hemlock boughs to pile up for soft, fra- 
grant couches. A camp-fire was kept blazing 
as a protection against wild beasts, though 
every man slept with his gun close to his hand. 
Lulled by the rushing sound of the water, all 
were soon fast asleep. 

The silent stars came out in the dark sky 
above, the mountains loomed around, grand, 
dark, imposing, hke mighty sentinels, and the 
river flowed swiftly by. A deer, attracted by 
the firelight, drew near, peeping through the 
bushes at the strange light. But as Aaron 
Denio rose to throw more logs on the fire, the 
deer, warned by some subtile instinct that this 
object, moving darkly between her and the 
fire, boded her no good, turned and bounded 
swiftly away. 

The next day, at noon, while all were either 
eating or engaged in games and trials of strength 
and skill in jumping, wrestling, etc., a strange 
Indian was seen coming towards the camp 
from the northeastern woods. He returned the 
greeting of Sergeant Hawks, who recognized 
him, with a surly nod, and, going directly to 
Metallak, drew him one side for a private con- 
ference. The two Indians were seen talking 
earnestly for a few minutes, the strange Indiau 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 129 

occasionally emphasizing his words with a 
strong gesture. Having delivered his message, 
whatever it was, he turned to depart as he had 
come. 

“Will not Massaquan stop and eat?” asked 
Sergeant Hawks. 

The Indian glowered at Hawks, only saying, 
as he passed on: 

“Massaquan cannot tarry to eat the white 
man’s bread to-day.” 

Metallak immediately gathered the other 
Indians around him, and, after a short confer- 
ence, all went to work packing up their fish, 
and, bearing the heavily loaded sacks on their 
shoulders, strode away westward as if in haste, 
with no words of farewell or explanation of this 
strange conduct. 

“ What mean these actions on the part of the 
Indians?” asked Timothy Childs. 

“It seems unfriendly,” said Sergeant Hawks. 
“Yet I know no cause for ill feeling between 
them and us. They have had their fair share 
of the fishing.” 

“Perhaps that strange Indian brought some 
tidings that bode no good to us whites,” said 
Samuel Allen. 

“He is one Massaquan, chief of the Scata- 
cooks, who has been a regularly commissioned 

9 


130 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


captain in our government's pay at Fort Dum- 
mer for the last ten years,” said Hawks. I Ve 
met him there more than once, and he has 
always been most helpful to the government 
in dealings with the Indians. That makes his 
conduct seem the more strange.” 

'^Well, I don’t understand it,” said Allen, 
“but I predict that it means trouble.” 

“It cannot be that France has declared war 
against England,” said Hawks, “for in that 
case how should the French and Indians know 
it when as yet no word has come from Boston 
to us?” 

“We shall know it soon enough, to our sor- 
row,” said John Catlin, “if war is declared;” 
and all agreed with him. 

Many of the men had now taken all the fish 
they could carry, though some, like Aaron, had 
led an extra horse to help with their loads. 
These fish were all intended to be salted down 
for home use. It hardly paid to catch them 
for selling, the market price for shad at that 
time being a penny apiece, while salmon in 
Northampton brought but one penny a pound, 
and still less in Deerfield. 

A sturdy old character whom every one called 
“Uncle Josh” excited much merriment by the 
ingenious plan he devised for carrying home his 


FISHING AT SALMON FALLS. 131 

share of the fish, after filling all the bags he had 
brought. He deliberately took off his leathern 
breeches, tied up the legs at the bottom, and 
filled them with fish, throwing them across his 
saddle, mounting and riding off for Deerfield 
amid the loud laughter of the company, and 
shouts of 

^^You^d better ride slowly. Uncle Josh. 
You’ll scratch your legs going through the 
bramble bushes if you’re not careful.” 

Little cared Uncle Josh for the witticisms 
freely lavished on him, if only he could take 
home a generous stock of fish to confound his 
wife, who was somewhat of a shrew, and had 
remarked when he left home: 

^‘Pretty business for a man of your age, 
dawdling off up to Deerfield Northwest^ fishing! 
Great fishing it will be, I guess! A good deal 
more drinking, and idling, and getting away 
from work that needs doing at home, than fish- 
ing!” 

Aaron and Sylvanus, for their part, were well 
pleased with the result of their trip. All their 
bags were full, mostly of salmon, with a few 
shad only, to help fill up the last bag. Jona- 
than had given them a newspaper for their 
father, which the postrider from Boston had 

1 The old name for Shelburne. 


132 


BOYS OP THE BORDER. 


brought into Deerfield only two days previous. 
The boys had immensely enjoyed the fun and 
excitement, the lively sayings and doings of the 
crowd, with a zest only possible to those who 
live in solitary places. 

“Father will be glad enough to get this late 
paper that brother Sam has sent him,^’ said 
Sylvanus, as the boys rode alone along the west- 
ern path homeward, turning their backs on the 
jovial company all bound east for Deerfield. 

“ And he and mother too will be pleased with 
this store of fish we are taking home,’’ said 
Aaron. 

“They will be sure to want us to go again 
next year,” said Sylvanus. 

“ I hope so,” said Aaron. 


CHAPTER X. 


EXCITING RUMORS. 

T he boys were joyfully welcomed home 
when they arrived in the dusk of early 
evening. The place had been lonely indeed 
without the two bright young fellows, bringing 
with them wherever they went the breezy at- 
mosphere of youth and health and hope. Bose 
ran wildly back and forth from one to the other, 
barking loudly and jumping up on his friends to 
testify his joy at seeing them again. 

^^Down, Bose!” said Sylvanus; ^^you need nT 
knock a fellow ^ over because you^re glad to 
see him.” 

I feel as glad to see you back as Bose does,” 
said Dinah. ^ 

^‘DonT you jump on me, Dinah, or I shall 
fare hard,” said Sylvanus; whereat all laughed, 
and tall, strong Dinah, seizing her younger 
brother by the shoulders, whirled him around 
and around, -'^just to let you see, young man, 
that you cannot be saucy to me,” she said. 
^^Well, boys, I must say you have done 


134 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


well/’ said the captain, when he saw the load 
of fish. 

All were eager to know what news the boys 
had brought back. When Aaron mentioned the 
arrival of the strange Indian in camp, and the 
sudden departure of Metallak and his band, 
the captain looked anxious. 

^‘1 hope that does not forebode another war,” 
he said. ^^But I well know that the French 
will never rest easy until either they have 
driven us off this continent, or we have whipped 
them soundly. Trouble between us is bound 
to come, sooner or later.” 

When the chores were done, the captain 
threw some light, dry pine on the fire, and sat 
down on the settle, eager to read by the blaze 
the Boston News Letter which the boys had 
brought him. 

Presently he said : 

Here is something that seems to point 
towards war. A ^Letter from a Well Informed 
Gentleman in London, England, on the Pros- 
pects of War,’ written the last of January, 
so it is late news. The writer predicts that 
France is likely to take advantage of the 
troubles with Spain, about the Austrian suc- 
cession, to attack England. France thinks she 
can take us at a disadvantage, he says.” 


EXCITING RUMORS. 


135 


pray we may not have another war,” 
said Mrs. Rice. 

“So do I, with all my heart,” said the cap- 
tain; “but I agree with the Deerfield men that 
the actions of the Indians look ominous. I had 
a glimpse of Metallak and his band filing past, 
and wondered that they did not stop.” 

“ If war is declared, father, I want to enlist,” 
said Aaron. 

“ If war is declared between France and 
England, you will be needed right here at home, 
probably,’^ said the captain. “But I cannot 
yet believe that we are to have another war. 
I noticed in Poor Richard^s Almanac the verse 
for last November was most hopeful in its 
view of the outlook.” 

The captain took down the almanac from the 
peg under the mantelpiece where it hung, ready 
for instant consultation on the weather and other 
important matters, and read aloud this verse : 

“A Year of wonder now behold! 

Britons despising Gallic Gold! 

A Year that stops the Spanish Plunders! 

A Year that they must be Refunders! 

A Year that sets our Troops a marching! 

A Year secures our Ships from Searching! 

A Year that Charity’s extended! 

A Year that Whig and Tory’s blended! 

Amazing Year! That we’re defended!” 


136 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


At the end he said : 

^^We will not borrow trouble, but trust in 
God that all these forebodings are groundless. 
But now it is time for our prayers and to bed. 

‘Early to bed, and early to rise, 

Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,' 

as Poor Richard truly says.^^ 

The captain read a psalm of trust, and then 
all stood with bowed heads, while the captain, 
his hands clasped, the firelight shining on his 
uplifted face, earnestly besought the God of 
his fathers to care for him and his through the 
night and in all the unknown dangers and 
trials that might await them : 

“Sanctify to us all orderings of thy provi- 
dence, O Lord. May all work out thy salva- 
tion. To thee we leave the future. We ask 
now and always thy blessing and guidance, 
knowing that thou carest for us far beyond our 
poor deserts. We ask all in the name of thy 
well-beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.’’ 

All went to bed that night comforted and 
strengthened by this prayer of real faith. 

The spring work went briskly on in the days 
that followed. One afternoon, as the captain and 
his sons were busy in the meadow, they saw 
two horsemen riding up the trail from the east. 


EXCITING RUMORS. 


137 


“The Taylors, I declare!’^ exclaimed the 
captain. “I have wondered they were not here 
at work on their land before this.^’ 

The Taylors were given hearty welcome, and 
then came what was always the first question, 
“What is the news?^^ The Rices had heard 
nothing from the outside world since the boys 
returned from the fishing. 

“News enough, and bad enough too,’’ said 
Othniel Taylor. “The postrider brought word 
from Boston last night that, on the 13th of 
this month, the French governor at Cape Breton 
had attacked Canso, our fishing post in Nova 
Scotia, captured it, destroying the fishery and 
the fort, burning all the buildings, and carrying 
off the eighty men in its garrison prisoners 
to Louisburg. Governor Shirley, on receiving 
word of this disaster, sent reinforcements to 
Annapolis just in time to save that place from 
the same fate.” 

“Has France declared war against us then?” 
asked the captain. 

“No word has come to that effect yet from 
Boston. But we at Deerfield have had word 
from Canada by way of Albany that such is 
the case, and our selectmen have called a meet- 
ing for to-morrow night to take prompt measures 
for defence.” 


138 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^Too bad, too bad,’^ said the captain sadly, 
have hoped, against hope, that war would 
not come, in spite of the ominous actions of 
the Indians at the Fishing Falls.’^ 

France had, no doubt, craftily sent word 
of her intentions over to her colony before she 
openly declared war, meaning thus to take us 
unawares and unprepared. John Cathn, who 
came in yesterday from a scout up Fort Dummer 
way, says that every man of the six Indian 
chiefs that have been employed there by our 
government for years, regularly commissioned 
officers, who have seemed so friendly, have 
left, disappearing without a word. They prob- 
ably have had secret word from Canada of the 
coming war.’’ 

No Indian can resist the chance for plunder 
and pillage offered by war,” said the captain. 
“If there is war, these friendly Indians who 
have been in and out among us, and know all 
our weak places, will be our worst foes.” 

“ True enough,” said Taylor. “ Jonathan and 
I rode out to-day to stack up our timber, and 
put our clearing in as good shape as possible 
to leave, for of course, now war is declared, we 
shall not think of building or moving out from 
Deerfield. Martha shudders at the idea of 
venturing out here to live, with another French 


EXCITING RUMORS. 139 

and Indian war upon us. We thought, too, 
we had best ride up to give you warning.” 

^^You^re pretty well exposed out here. Cap- 
tain,” said Jonathan Taylor. ‘^Twenty-two 
miles between you and any settlement. For 
the high mountains between you and Fort 
Morrison in Colerain make it impossible for 
you to take refuge there in case of trouble.” 

“I know it; I know it well,” said the cap- 
tain gravely. 

The Taylors spent the night at the Rices^ 
All the talk in the evening was of the coming 
war. When they were alone that night, Mrs. 
Rice asked her husband : 

“ Do you not feel, Moses, that it may be best 
for us to abandon this exposed place, and 
move back into some of the older settlements 
while the war lasts?” 

“It is a terribly hard question to decide, 
Sarah,” said the captain. “It would mean 
great loss to me, as you know, to abandon this 
place, and the fruits of two years’ hard labor. 
I don’t want to do it until I must. We will 
wait a little and see. I will try to do what 
seems best.” 

A few days later the captain said : 

“Sarah, I am going to ride down to Deer- 
field to-morrow. I have errands to do, and I 


140 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


cannot rest easy until I know the latest news 
about the war. So, if you want to write to 
Samuel, get the letter ready to-day, for I shall 
make an early start to-morrow morning.’’ 

The captain’s return was anxiously awaited, 
and when he was seen riding up the path late 
the second day after his departure, all went 
out to meet and greet him. 

^^Well, Sarah,” said the captain, as he dis- 
mounted, I bring plenty of news this time, 
bad news, but good too, I hope.” 

^^Is war declared, father?” asked Sylvanus. 

''Yes, it seems France declared war against 
England March 15, and England, on her part, 
declared war March 29. But the tidings only 
reached Boston May 20 or 22. Of course, 
after the capture of Canso, no one was greatly 
surprised.” 

"What are they doing in Deerfield?” asked 
Aaron. 

" They have voted to build a mount at Green 
River, and four mounts in the village. But 
the good news for us, Sarah, is this. Capt. 
Elijah Williams told me there is no doubt the 
government will order a line of forts built to 
the north of us, to protect the northwest border 
of the province. He said he had much talk 
about this plan, when lately in Boston, with 


EXCITING RUMORS. 


141 


prominent men there, and all were agreed 
that, in case of war, such a line of forts would 
be a prime necessity.” 

^^That is good news indeed,” said Mrs. Rice, 
in a tone of relief. Forts to the north would 
be a great protection to us.” 

Captain Williams says the government looks 
at it in this way. The forts at Fort Dummer 
and No. 4 check the Indians from coming 
down the Connecticut River as of old. They 
are, therefore, now liable, in coming from Crown 
Point, to cross over the Hoosacs, in order to 
reach the Deerfield. The point is, to block 
their way along Cold River and the other 
tributaries of the Deerfield.” 

^^How soon will these forts be built?” asked 
Mrs. Rice. 

“ This coming summer probably. Captain 
Williams said the government would act prompt- 
ly, he thought. I confess this news has lifted 
a heavy load from my heart. Apparently we 
can now stay here with perfect safety. At all 
events I shall risk it.” 

too feel greatly relieved,” said Mrs. Rice. 
^^Only it seems almost too good to be true. I 
fear I shall not quite believe it until I see 
work actually begun on the line of forts.” 

The following Friday, Mrs. Rice announced 


142 BOYS OF THE BORDER. 

her intention of making soft soap the next 
day. 

Here it is the 7th of June, and I have n^t 
made my soap yet,’’ she said. ^^It’s the new 
of the moon. My mother always made her 
soap then. I’ll get at it to-morrow, without 
fail. It is a hard job, but it has to be done 
some time, and, once done, that’s the end of it 
for a year. We must all go to bed early to-night, 
for I intend to get at work betimes to-morrow.” 

The morrow’s sun rose on a glorious June 
day. The trees were in the full freshness of 
their new foliage, the tall grass blossoms waved 
in JJie mowing as the breeze blew over the 
me low, and all the mountain-sides were 
ab om with pink mountain laurel. In the 
woods near the Rices’ the wild grapevines, 
which grew luxuriantly, throwing themselves 
from tree to tree, were now in blossom, their 
delicate, delicious fragrance filling the air. 

Tamar stood in the open door, inhaling long 
breaths of the sweet morning air. 

^^How I do love the smell of wild grape 
blossoms!” she said. ^‘1 am really glad you 
are going to make soap to-day, mother, it’s 
such a lovely day to be outdoors.” 

^^Well, fly round, fly round, child, and don’t 
be idling,” said the busy mother, full of her 


EXCITING RUMORS. 143 

work. There ^s plenty for every one to do 
to-day.’^ 

In the yard, at a safe distance from the 
house, Aaron built a big fire of logs, Which 
blazed up merrily. Each side the fire he drove 
strong forked sticks, laying across them a stout 
round stick, on which he hung a large iron 
kettle holding at least six pailfuls, in which the 
soap was to be made, and another smaller kettle 
for the grease. ^ - 

Sylvanus brought up the soap grease frd. i 
the cellar, and lye from the ash leach in the 
woodhouse. 

^^Have you tested that lye, Sylvanus?^’ a^ked 
his mother. 

“Yes. It’s all right. It bears up an e^ 
said Sylvanus. 

Dinah and Tamar were flying about, dox 
the bidding of their mother, who, an old greei. 
calash on her head, and a long stick in her 
hand, bending over the caldron in the smoke 
stirring her soap, looked like the queen of a 
gypsy camp. 

As for Artemas and Bose, they too “helped.” 
Artemas played this was a council fire. He 
was an Indian chief, and Bose was his enemy. 
He lit blazing war-torches of pine, and chased 
the barking Bose, the dog enjoying the sport as 


144 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


much as Artemas, around and around the fire, 
until at last his long-suffering mother exclaimed : 

Artemas, drop those firebrands. You will 
set yourself or some one else on fire. And I 
cannot stand such a racket.’^ 

The traditional many hands making light 
work, all progressed finely, and, by afternoon, 
the soap barrel was nearly full of clear, jelly- 
like brown soap, and the last kettleful was 
boiling over the fire. 

^^If this lot comes all right, we shall be 
through,’’ said Mrs. Rice, in a tone of great 
satisfaction. ^^And a good job done it is. I 
always feel rich when I have a nice barrel of 
new soap in the cellar. Run and get me a 
little porringer, Tamar. I will try this lot 
now, to see if it is coming.” 

Halloo,” cried Artemas. ^^Look! Look! 
Some one is coming. Some of the Deerfield 
men. That is Abner’s father that leads them.” 

All looked with interest at a file of men 
approaching, recognizing familiar faces as they 
came still nearer. Following Sergeant Hawks 
were Thomas Nims and his cousin, Elisha 
Nims, David Hoyt and his brother Jonathan, 
Ebenezer Arms, Matthew Clesson, and young 
David Wells. 

The Rice boys greeted with delight their 


EXCITING RUMORS. 


145 


friends Jonathan and David, while Captain 
Rice made haste to welcome his guests and ask 
their errand. 

“We are out on a scout to Hoosac Moun- 
tain,^’ said Sergeant Hawks. “Capt. Elijah 
Williams, who is to have charge of all scouting 
parties sent out, came home from Boston 
Wednesday, where he had been to consult with 
Governor Shirley about the best means of de- 
fence. The governor thinks it important to 
keep scouting parties out much of the time, 
ranging the woods to the north and west, that 
the French and Indians may not come upon us 
unawares.” 

“He is right. It is a wise plan,” said the 
captain. 

“ As you know, one of the Indians’ chief trails 
is over the Hoosacs and down Cold River to the 
Deerfield,” said Hawks. “So Captain Williams 
has sent us out to search through this region 
for signs of the enemy. Is it asking too much 
of you to suffer us to rest here to-night?” 

“We will keep you gladly,” said the captain. 

Mrs. Rice and the girls, after their hard day’s 
work, might well have felt dismayed at this 
unexpected addition to their toils. But not so. 

“Never mind the soap, Dinah,” said her 
mother, as Dinah was about swinging the kettle 
10 


146 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


of soap, which had ^^come,’’ from the fire. 
“ Aaron will attend to that. We must get up 
a good supper as quickly as possible. Artemas, 
bring in some chips. Tamar, stir up the kitchen 
fire, and make a big pot of hasty pudding. 
Dinah, you can beat up some biscuit. Put 
the bake-oven heating before the fire and the 
frying pan on the coals. I will cooli the 
venison. 

Luckily there was plenty of fresh meat in 
the house, for Aaron had shot a deer the pre- 
vious day, a venturesome deer that had stolen 
into the corn patch in the early morning to 
damnify the corn’’ by nibbling the tender 
shoots just pricking through the rich soil. 
But Aaron was also up in the early dawn, and a 
ringing shot from the hillside had ended the deer’s 
career, and given the Rices plenty of venison. 

All the tables the house boasted were put 
together, making one long one. The hungry 
guests did not care if no tablecloth covered the 
rough slabs, as they took stools and drew up to 
a smoking hot supper with plenty of home- 
brewed beer to drink. 

Supper over, the men sat outdoors under the 
buttonball tree, smoking and talking. 

^^Do you hear anything about the building 
of the forts?” asked Captain Rice. 


EXCITING RUMORS. 147 

Work is to begin on them soon, this summer 
without fail,’^ said Sergeant Hawks. 

Thomas French tells me that Col. John 
Stoddard is to have command of the forts and 
of our whole northwestern border, said Eb- 
enezer Arms. 

Yes, that is so,’’ said Hawks. 

There could not be a better man chosen 
for the place,” said Captain Rice heartily. 
“ Colonel Stoddard is a man of pluck and sense, 
and has had plenty of experience in fighting 
Indians.” 

The boys lay out around the fire built for 
making soap, which still blazed fitfully, pleasant 
to see, if it did attract many midges from the 
woods around. 

! envy you boys your chance to go out 
scouting,” said Aaron. ^‘If father would con- 
sent, I would go with you in a minute.” 

“As soon as I am sixteen,” said Sylvanus, 
“I mean to go out.” 

“When will you be back here?” asked Aaron. 

Sergeant Hawks told me, when I was walking 
behind him to-day,” said Elisha Nims, “that, 
if he found no traces of Indians in this section, 
he should strike across the hills for North River, 
and follow that stream down to the Deerfield, 
and so home.” 


148 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“ In that case, we shall not see you again/’ said 
Aaron. 

“Not this time/’ said Elisha. “But, if this 
war grows serious, you may see more of us 
than you wish.” 

The scouts camped for the night on the floor 
of the Rices’ living-room. Mrs. Rice was for- 
tunately able to supply pillows for all, pillows 
filled with pigeon feathers which she had 
made the previous fall, when her sons had 
shot many pigeons from the immense number 
that had roosted in the woods near by in such 
masses as to break some Hmbs off the trees. 
The captain and his sons spread thick bear- 
skins on the floor for beds, and the scouts found 
themselves very comfortable under the shelter 
of this friendly roof. 

As Sergeant Hawks stretched himself ou t 
on his bearskin, he said : 

“Better make the most of this, boys. I 
cannot promise you such luxurious accommoda- 
tions out in the woods to-morrow night.” 

“We will have to take it as it comes,” said 
Matthew Clesson. 


CHAPTER XI. 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 

HE scouts were up with the gray of early 



A dawn the next morning. In vain did 
Sergeant Hawks try to press upon Captain Rice 
pay for his hospitality. 

We of Deerfield will, most likely, be coming 
this way often,” said Hawks, ^‘and you cannot 
afford to entertain us without charge. We 
shall eat you out of house and home.” 

If the war continues, I may have to charge 
something for entertaining soldiers,” said the 
captain, ^^but not now. It^s worth vastly 
more than the cost to me to know that the 
border is being vigilantly guarded.” 

Don’t speak of paying a penny,” said Mrs. 
Rice. 

With many hearty thanks on the part of the 
scouts, and warm wishes for their safe return 
from the Rices, the file of men walked off up 
the old Indian trail to the west, following the 
course of the Deerfield. 

Late in the afternoon of the following Thurs- 


150 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


day another scouting party from Deerfield, led 
by Lieut. John Catlin, appeared at Captain 
Rice^s. From them the Rices learned that Ser- 
geant Hawks’s party had struck the trail of forty 
Indians on the west branch of North River, 
and that many other traces of Indians had been 
seen near the settlements. 

Finding that Lieutenant Catlin was short of 
men, as so many scouting parties were now out 
from Deerfield in different directions. Captain 
Rice, much to Aaron’s joy and the envy of 
Sylvanus, allowed Aaron to go out with him. 

The scouts returned to the Rices’ in the 
middle of the night. The leg-weary Aaron fell 
on the bed beside Sylvanus, without stopping 
to undress, and was soon fast asleep. 

Aaron, Aaron,” said Sylvanus, waking and 
finding his brother beside him, ^^how far did 
you go? What happened? Did you see any 
Indians? Speak, can’t you?” And Sylvanus 
tried to shake his big brother. 

A weary groan was Aaron’s only response, as 
he settled himself to sleep more heavily. But 
the next morning he was more communicative. 

Scouting is n’t all sport, Sylvanus,” he said. 
'^It’s pretty tough work, and so you will find 
when your turn comes. But I’m not sorry I 
went. And I’ll go again.” 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


151 


Up the Deerfield, some miles above the Rices^, 
this party had found a fire burning, and Indian 
coats drying near by, and had prudently with- 
drawn, being so few in number. 

A month passed after Aaron^s first experience 
in scouting, a month full of anxiety to the 
Rices, who lived constantly on guard against 
possible sudden attack by Indians. 

One morning Tamar, who was at work in 
her flower bed, ran into the house, saying 
excitedly : 

^'I see four men coming, mother!’’ 

^^Not Indians?” asked Mrs. Rice. 

^^No, but I don’t know them, and they 
come from up the river, not from Deerfield 
way.” 

“That is most strange,” said Mrs. Rice. 

She advanced to the door, where the young 
man, who seemed to be the leader of the party, 
a man of fine presence and bearing, after cour- 
teous greeting, said : 

“ I must introduce myself as Timothy Dwight 
of Northampton, Mrs. Rice. With my assist- 
ants, I have been sent out into these parts by 
Colonel Stoddard to run a line across the 
country for the forts which it is proposed to 
build here. It is a wild tract of country, among 
woods and mountains, and we have been obliged 


152 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


to live a rough life, as I fear our appearance but 
too plainly denotes. The sight of a roof, and 
of smoke rising from a civilized chimney, was 
most grateful to us, I assure you. We would 
gladly rest awhile, and dine here, as the pro- 
vision taken with us, though eked out by hunt- 
ing, is nearly gone.^’ 

'^You are heartily welcome,” said Mrs. Rice 
cordially. Sit down while we prepare dinner. 
My husband will soon be in.” 

Mrs. Rice said to Dinah, as the two made 
ready the dinner: 

I am so thankful work is goiiig to begin on 
the forts, that I do not object to a little extra 
work. Our situation, the only house on the 
river west of Deerfield, obliges us to keep tavern, 
whether we wish it or not. These men look com- 
pletely fagged, and a nice hot dinner will rest 
them.” 

At the dinner table the captain asked details 
of Colonel DwighCs work. 

Did you run the line for the forts on Hazen^s 
Line?” he asked. 

^^No, a few miles south, in order to keep 
within that line, and avoid further trouble, 
such as our province has had in the past,” said 
Colonel Dwight. I started at Morrison^s Fort 
in Colerain, and ran the line over the outlying 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


153 


range of the Hoosacs, through the great hills 
north and west of you; a difficult undertaking, 
almost an impossible one. But now ^t is done, 
and I have my plat with me.^’ 

Here Colonel Dwight showed his plat of the 
region surveyed. 

“That pricked line indicates where the forts 
should be, in my judgment,^’ said Colonel 
Dwight. 

Captain Rice and his family examined the 
plat with keen interest. A wholly wild and 
unsettled tract of country was here represented, 
marked by mountains and streams, some of 
them known to the Rice men in hunting ex- 
peditions, many unfamiliar. 

On Captain Rice^s last trip to Deerfield he 
had brought home a letter containing most 
important news for him and his. It was from 
Mrs. Rice’s brother in Sudbury, Titus King, 
announcing that he had decided to try his 
fortunes in the new country, and wished to 
come out to his brother-in-law’s new settlement. 

“ I shall be delighted to have Titus here with 
us,” said Mrs. Rice. 

“Titus is a young man after my own heart,” 
said Captain Rice. “Not afraid of work. As 
Poor Richard says, he ^handles his tools with- 
out mittens.’ It will be worth everything to 


154 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


me to have his help. There is plenty of work 
here for ten men, if I had them, to develop 
this new land and bring it under cultiva- 
tion.’^ 

Not long after Colonel Dwight’s call, Titus 
appeared, riding up the Deerfield path, with 
his luggage strapped on his horse. He was 
joyfully welcomed. The young people were 
delighted at this advent of their stalwaH young 
uncle, not yet too old to have forgotten how 
to frolic, and all were glad of another helper 
and defender. 

The first greetings over. Captain Rice asked; 

^^Did you pick up any tidings in Deerfield 
about the war, Titus, as you came through?” 

stopped at David Hoyt’s tavern over 
night,” said Titus, ^^and there I was right in 
the centre of things, for Capt. Elijah Williams’s 
store, the headquarters of the scouts, is close 
by, and his cousin, Capt. William Williams, 
lives near, just across the training field.” 

Lieutenant Hoyt had recently bought the 
Sheldon house^ for his son David, who had 
married the daughter of Ebenezer Sheldon, 
its owner, and here David now kept tavern. 

^^The great news is,” continued Titus, ^Hhat 
Colonel Stoddard has ordered Capt. William 

^ Known as the old Indian House/ 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


155 


Williams to proceed at once to work on the 
first fort to be built up in these hills. His 
orders are to erect it about five and a half 
miles west of Morrison’s Fort in Colerain, on a 
line lately surveyed by Col. Timothy Dwight 
of Northampton.” 

Yes, we know all about it. We saw Colonel 
Dwight’s plat. He was here last week,” said 
Mrs. Rice. 

“ I heard Captain Williams read Colonel 
Stoddard’s letter at the store last night,” said 
Titus. ^^More than that. Captain Williams is 
directed by Stoddard to search out convenient 
places for two or three more forts, to be erected 
about five and a half miles apart, along the 
line pricked out to the west on Colonel Dwight’s 
plat.” 

^^That will bring a fort in not far from us, 
I should judge,” said Captain Rice. 

Captain Williams thinks so. He said the 
chances were that you might be called on to 
help build the fort placed nearest you. He 
wished me to speak to you about it.” 

I will certainly do my best to help the forts 
along,” said the captain. ^'It is fortunate we 
have you to reinforce us, Titus. How soon 
does Captain Williams begin work?” 

Right away. He set off f roin Deerfield 


156 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


this morning for Colerain, with the soldiers 
from the east, who are under his command. 
I rode up in their escort until their path turned 
off to the north.’’ 

The Rices, aided by Titus, found time to 
build a palisade around house and barn. Every 
night the stock were driven within this rude 
stockade, and the gates fastened. 

don’t feel as if Indians were peering into 
the windows every dark night now, ’’said Tamar, 
when the new stockade was done. 

Dinah laughed, but admitted : 

confess I feel safer myself. Indians now 
certainly cannot steal close up to the house 
before we know they are about.” 

The summer passed quickly away, on the 
whole a happy and prosperous season. There 
was plenty of hard work, but every one had 
been well, the crops were good, and above all, 
no Indians had appeared. 

One day in early November, Aaron and his 
father were working between the large brooks 
which poured down from the northern hills 
through Captain Rice’s land into the Deerfield, 
“Mill Brook,” as Aaron had named one (for 
here he hoped some time to have a mill of their 
own), and Rice’s Brook. 

Their attention was attracted by a rustling 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 157 

among the dead leaves up the brook, in the 
northern woods. 

'^Something's coming, said the captain, 
as both seized their guns and stood looking 
sharply in the direction of the sound. 

Soon they were relieved to see coming down 
the hill, through the defiles of the tree trunks, 
six soldiers. Captain Rice recognized the leader, 
a man of commanding appearance, as Capt. 
William Williams, having met him at Deerfield. 

"Why, Captain Williams,’^ he cried, "did 
you drop from the clouds? Where do you 
hail from?^^ 

"From Fort Shirley, our new fort, just com- 
pleted and named for his Excellency the 
governor,’’ said Captain Williams. "I am out 
to decide on the situation of the next fort to 
be built to the west of Fort Shirley, which 
Colonel Stoddard has ordered to be erected as 
speedily as may be. I have come partly to 
ask your aid. Captain Rice.” 

" But how did you find your way here through 
the pathless wilderness?” asked the captain. 

" I had Colonel Dwight’s plat, which gave me 
some idea of the general lay of the land. And, 
as it will be necessary to have a path from the 
new fort to your place, it seemed best to take 
this time to survey and blaze such a path 


158 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


through the forest. I thought this stream must 
bring me out near your house, and am pleased 
to find that I was correct.’’ 

Captain Rice admired the indomitable resolu- 
tion which had enabled Captain Williams to 
make his way over high mountains and through 
a pathless wilderness to his home, and gave him 
and his soldiers hospitable entertainment. 

Dinner over. Captain Williams broached his 
business. Colonel Stoddard had directed that 
Captain Rice, living comparatively near the 
site of the proposed fort on the hills north of 
him, be asked to cut the timber needed and 
proceed to build the fort. 

It was far from an easy undertaking, owing 
to the difficulty of reaching the spot. In truth, 
it would have seemed impossible to any one 
less ruggedly determined than Captain Rice. 
However, he had not come into this wilderness 
expecting to be 

. carried to the skies 
On flowery beds of ease,” 

but resolved to put forth every energy, do all 
possible to man, to open up this region for 
settlement and found a home for his family. 
Therefore he did not hesitate in his reply. 

^^I will do the best I can, Captain Williams,” 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


159 


he said. am rather short for help. But, 
during the late fall and winter, I guess the 
boys and I can at least cut and square the 
timbers, and be ready to begin work on the 
fort early next spring.” 

^^That will be all Colonel Stoddard could 
ask, I am sure,” said Williams, pleased with 
this ready assent. 

think it will be best for me to go back 
with you to-morrow,” added the captain, ^Ho 
learn the path and the exact location you have 
selected for the new fort.” 

^^By all means. That is what I was about 
to suggest,” said Captain Williams. 

Great was the delight of Sylvanus when his 
father announced that he had decided to take 
Sylvanus with him, leaving Aaron and Titus 
to care for things at home. 

Sylvanus was now sixteen, of age for military 
duty, and felt himself indeed a man as he pre- 
pared to set off with his father and the soldiers. 
His mother^s parting words were : 

Moses, do look out for Sylvanus. You know 
he is apt to be venturesome and take rash risks.” 

Mother,” remonstrated Sylvanus, ^^you seem 
to think I am still a little boy, about the age 
of Artemas. I am sixteen, — quite old enough 
to take care of myself, I should think.” 


160 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


You may be sixteen, but you have consider- 
able to learn yet,^^ said his mother, with a 
loving smile. Old heads don^t grow on 
young shoulders, the wise folks say.’’ 

A chorus of good-byes” followed as the 
little company marched off, Sylvanus bringing 
up the rear, with radiant smiles waving his 
hand back to the group under the buttonball 
tree standing watching the men until they 
disappeared. 

^‘What next, I wonder?” said Mrs. Rice. 
^'Talk of our being lonely! We seem to be 
right in the midst of things.” 

The company, led by Captain Williams, turned 
up the shore of Rice’s Brook to the north. 

The path Captain Williams laid out ran 
steeply up, directly over South Mountain. At 
its summit an opening in the forest gave an 
opportunity to view the country around. The 
men halted here to rest, weary after their long, 
steep climb up the rocky path. 

^^The point I have selected for this fort you 
are to build,” said Captain Williams, ^^is over 
to our right, on a hillside which commands the 
head waters of a large brook or small river, 
which rushes down through these hills to the 
Deerfield.^ Our aim is to cut off access of 


1 Pelham Brook. 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 161 

the French and Indians to the Deerfield, and 
so to the settlements below/^ 

get a glimpse of that brook through the 
trees,’’ said Captain Rice. fine stream. 
Where will the next fort to the west probably 
be located?” 

^^That I find difficult to decide,” said Cap- 
tain Williams, on account of the obstacle 
presented by the Hoosac Mountains. I think 
it will have to be beyond the Hoosacs, off to- 
wards that blue mountain peak^ you notice 
in the west.” 

The scramble down hill through the woods 
on the north slope of South Mountain now 
began. At last they reached the brook and 
forded its clear brown waters, rushing swiftly 
down grade over a stony bed, and then followed 
its course up until they reached the sloping 
hillside of which Captain Williams had spoken. 

Here they stopped to eat their luncheons and 
rest. Captain Williams had blazed tree trunks 
on the hill, to mark out the exact dimensions of 
the proposed fort. 

As they ate. Captain Rice said : 

think. Captain Williams, that it will be 
wise for me to go on to Fort Shirley with you, 
that I may learn the road. It will be necessary 

1 Greylock. 

11 


162 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


to keep open communication between these 
forts; and this will be my best chance to learn 
the way, when we can go under the escort of 
your soldiers.’’ 

Well thought of,” said Captain Williams. 

It was almost six miles farther through the 
forest, up hill and down, going easterly to Fort 
Shirley. The November day was darkening 
into night when the party at last came out 
of the woods into a small clearing. 

“ This is Fort Shirley,” said Captain Williams.^ 
The Rices saw rising before them on the west- 
ward slope of a hill an enclosure sixty feet 
square, made of squared pine logs hewn and 
fastened on top of each other to the height of 
twelve feet. On two opposite corners were 
the small box-like structures called mounts,” 
where a sentry was always kept on guard, from 
which, in case of attack, the guns of the garrison 
could easily rake the sides of the fort. Smoke 
was rising from the big stone chimneys of the 
houses built for barracks against two of the 
inside walls of the fort. On all sides of the fort 
stood thickly the stumps of the huge pines 
which had been felled to construct it. 

strong structure, well placed and well 
built,” said Captain Rice. 

^ Appendix C. 



Old Fort Shirley. Page 162 . 

Drawn from the description given in Professor Perry’s “Origins in Williamstown. 

By permission of the artist. 




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A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


163 


“I had some competent carpenters to aid 
me, among the Scotch-Irish from Colerain,’’ 
said Captain Williams; ^^and I consider it 
myself a well-built fort, for the time we spent 
on it. We only began work on it in July.” 

am not much of a carpenter,” said Rice. 
‘‘You must not expect me to construct such a 
fort as this.” 

“A strong palisade is what we want on the 
hills near you,” said Captain Williams. “You 
and your sons will be quite equal to building 
that.” 

A good supper was served, cooked by some 
of the soldiers at one of the stone fireplaces, 
for wild animals abounded in the woods around, 
and the soldiers were glad to vary the tameness 
of garrison hfe in time of peace by hunting. 
Bear and venison steaks, moose and turkey 
meat, were plentiful at the fort, agreeably 
varying the regular rations of dry bread, salt 
pork, dried peas, and rum. 

Captain Rice, glad of an opportunity to ex- 
amine a recently built fort, carefully inspected 
every detail of its construction. Early next 
morning he and Sylvanus said good-bye and 
started for home. The day’s tramp before 
them was not only hard, but full of possible 
danger, as the two well knew. 


164 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


They tramped sturdily and silently along 
in Indian file through the unbroken forest, up 
and down many a hill, finding their way by 
the blazed trees, the captain leading, Sylvanus 
following. 

As they walked on thus they heard an uncanny 
cry in the woods ahead, not unlike the scream 
of a child or of a woman in distress, a weird 
sound when heard in the lonely forest shades. 

At the first wail the captain stopped, listen- 
ing intently. Then he nodded his head, satis- 
fied, whispering to Sylvanus : 

^^A painter.' Thought maybe it might be 
Indians imitating one.” 

They now walked cautiously along, scanning 
carefully the tree tops each side the way, 
although the cry had ceased. 

At last they came to a steep pitch, where the 
path descended into a hollow surrounded by 
huge, mossy rocks. A little woodland stream 
trickled down through the damp hollow. As the 
men came nearer, they saw a deer drinking at 
this brook. Suddenly, from an overhanging tree, 
a large grayish object whirled through the air, 
lighting on the deer^s back. It was a panther, 
that fastened his teeth into the deer^s neck, 
sucking its life blood, as the poor creature 


^ Panther. 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 165 

bounded and screamed with pain and terror, 
in vain efforts to escape. 

Captain Rice fired, hitting the panther, 
which rolled off the deer’s back. The deer, 
though bleeding from the panther’s teeth and 
claws, bounded away into the woods. Sylvanus 
rushed up to the panther. 

“Look out!” cried his father. “A wounded 
painter is fierce. Keep away from him!” 

He spoke too late, for the furious panther had 
already leaped on Sylvanus, holding him in such 
a way that he could not use his gun, snarling and 
fastening his sharp teeth in the boy’s shoulder. 

“Hurry, father! Quick! He’s killing me!” 
cried Sylvanus. 

Captain Rice, pale at the danger of his son, 
yet cool and collected, shifted his position quickly 
to a point where he could aim at the panther 
without hitting Sylvanus. He fired. The pan- 
ther loosened his hold and rolled on the ground 
in the agonies of death. 

The captain rushed up to his son, crying: 

“Are you much hurt, my boy?” 

“Not very much, I guess, father,” said Syl- 
vanus, turning faint, and sinking down on a 
rock. “My shoulder is pretty bad.” 

“ Lucky he did n’t happen to set his teeth 
in your throat,” said the captain. 


166 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


The captain was too old a campaigner to be 
caught in the woods without spirit to use in 
emergency. Taking a small flask and a pewter 
cup from his knapsack, he went down to the 
brook and mixed a cordial which somewhat 
revived the boy. Then he bound up the 
wounded and bleeding shoulder as best he 
could. 

After a little, Sylvanus said : 

I guess I can go on now, father.^^ 

“If you can we had best be moving, if we 
want to reach home before nightfall.’^ 

They started on, leaving the panther^s body 
stretched on the ground for wolves to devour, 
that were at their repast as soon as the footfall 
of the men had ceased to rustle the leaves. 

When the travellers reached the place blazed 
for the new fort, they stopped to eat the 
luncheon with which Mrs. Rice had filled their 
knapsacks. The ground was brown and slip- 
pery with pine needles, for the site selected for 
the new fort was now covered with majestic 
pines, towering far aloft, their tall trunks sway- 
ing in the wind which sighed through their 
boughs with a faint moan, almost as if bewailing 
the fate awaiting these primeval trees that had 
seen the snows of many winters fall here on 
the lonely hills. 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


167 


must get right to work on these trees 
as soon as possible/^ said the captain, as they 
ate, looking up into the tree tops swaying high 
overhead. “But first I mean to fix the trail 
between our house and this place, so we can 
get horses up here. I will begin on that to- 
morrow, God willing.’^ 

As Sylvanus could not walk rapidly, it was 
late when they reached the descent down the 
steep southern slope of South Mountain into 
their own valley. Far below lay the little 
spot of earth that was “home’’ to them. There 
was the Deerfield winding through the pretty 
valley, the log house on the hillside under the 
buttonball tree, the fields they had cleared and 
cultivated, the scene of all their activities and 
interests. They could see Aaron, aided by 
Artemas and Bose, driving the cattle into the 
palisade. 

“Aaron and Artemas and the cattle look 
like ants crawling around down there,” said 
Sylvanus. “And our house seems about the 
size of a hen-coop.” 

“ ‘ What is man that thou art mindful of him, 
or the son of man that thou visitest him?”’ 
quoted the captain. “People are not of much 
more consequence than ants, when you get up 
high enough to take a far view of them.” 


168 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


It makes us seem of very little importance/^ 
said Sylvanus. 

“ True. But insignificant as we are, it makes 
a deal of difference how each atom of us does 
his part. Never despise little things, Sylvanus. 
Everything we do counts, one way or the other. 
Poor Richard well says, 'For want of a Nail, 
the Shoe was lost; and for want of a Shoe, the 
Horse was lost; and for want of a Horse, the 
Rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by 
the Enemy, all for want of Care about a Horse- 
Shoe Nail.^^^ 

Sylvanus made no reply; perhaps was letting 
his father^s words go in one ear, out the other, 
as he wondered hungrily what mother would 
have for supper. Yet often, in after years, his 
father^s counsels would return to him, to be 
quoted in turn to his own sons. 

Mrs. Rice, as night drew on, went many times 
to the door, looking out anxiously for the 
wayfarers. 

"Here you are at last,^’ she cried in a tone of 
relief, as the travellers appeared. " I am glad to 
see you back safely. But, Sylvanus, you look 
pale. Are you hurt? What is the matter?” 

"Nothing much,” said Sylvanus, hardly able 
to stand, as he sank on the first stool he reached. 

" He was hugged a little by a painter, mother. 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


169 


back here in the woods. That^s all/’ said the 
captain reassuringly. ^^The boy will be all 
right in a day or two.” 

knew how it would be. I told you so. 
I knew that Sylvanus would have something 
happen to him/’ said Mrs. Rice, as she pro- 
ceeded to examine Sylvanus’s wounds, and 
dress them with a home-made liniment. 

The next morning the captain, true to his 
word, with Aaron and Titus, set to work making 
a rough road leading to the site of the new fort. 
They began on the path going steeply up South 
Mountain, cutting down trees, using the trunks 
to bridge chasms and hollows, digging out some 
of the largest stones, and succeeded at last 
in getting a rude bridle path, up which it was 
possible to ride. Their hardy horses, used to 
rough trails, sometimes forced to go where there 
was not even a trail, climbed this steep path 
with the sturdy courage of those wonted to 
hardships. 

Tall pine after pine shuddered and came 
crashing down before the axes of the industri- 
ous workmen. The tops were trimmed off, 
and the trunks sawn and hewn into logs the 
right length for palisades. When the first 
snow fell the logs were drawn together and 
piled up in heaps. 


170 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


The soldiers at Fort Shirley had been set by 
Captain Williams to clear out and make plainer 
and easier for travel the path from Fort Shirley 
to the site of the new fort, so that Captain Rice 
now had the satisfaction of knowing that there 
was a well-defined and fairly good bridle path 
from his house to Fort Shirley, and thence to Col- 
erain, where the soldiers had also been ar work 
repairing and improving the road. 

The captain persevered at his task, in spite 
of two or three light snows. At last, early in 
January, there came a day of furious storm. 
All day long the snow fell thick and fast, driven 
by a high wind, banking up about the log house 
and palisade until they were nearly buried from 
sight. 

After a night of storm, the next morning the 
sun broke through the clouds, shining down 
on a new, white world. The air was cold, but 
purity itself, clear and invigorating. It was 
an exhilaration merely to breathe it. 

As Captain Rice and the boys took their 
shovels and began digging paths that were 
almost tunnels through the deep drifts, he said: 

Winter is here in good earnest now. No 
more work on the new fort until next spring.” 

Dinah and Tamar, their cheeks red and glow- 
ing in the fresh, cold air, had run out to snow- 


A NEW UNDERTAKING. 


171 


ball the boys, who returned the enemy^s fire 
so briskly that the girls were soon glad to beat 
a retreat into the house. 

^^Come, boys, settle down to business,’^ said 
the captain. “Lots of digging we have to do 
before we can get at the chores.” 

“I know one thing,” said Sylvanus. “Pm 
glad I am not Captain Williams or one of his 
men, shut up there on the hills at Fort Shirley 
for the whole winter, half buried in snow, with 
no chance to hear from outside.” 

“Captain Williams is one that will go where 
his duty calls, no matter whether it is agreeable 
or not,” said Captain Rice. “A good example 
for the rest of us.” 


CHAPTER XII. 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 

C APTAIN WILLIAMS was not a man to 
stay buried alive, if he were at Fort Shirley, 
up on a bleak hill top, miles from any settlement, 
with the snow lying deep in the woods around 
him. 

One day in February the Rices were sur- 
prised to see approaching a stalwart man on 
snowshoes, carrying a large pack on his back. 
He stepped over the drifts with the skill and 
ease only given by much practice. 

^^Who can it be?” asked Dinah. 

can’t imagine,” said Mrs. Rice. “I little 
expected travellers at this season.” 

know him,” said Sylvanus, looking out 
the window over his mother’s shoulder. ^^It 
is Sergeant Smead. I met him at Fort 
Shirley, and he has come from there now 
probably.” 

It proved that Sergeant Smead had been 
sent as a messenger from Captain Williams at 
Fort Shirley to Captain Josiah Willard, now 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 173 

in command at Fort Dummer on the Connecti- 
cut River, above Northfield. 

Captain Rice was eager to know what was 
being done or planned, having heard nothing 
from outside for some time. 

Captain Williams told me the purport of 
his letter,” said Smead. You doubtless know 
that last fall the General Court ordered that 
twelve men out of each of the snowshoe com- 
panies in the western part of the province, 
sixty men in all, were to be detached and sent 
out under captains to scout and range the 
woods constantly during the winter, from Con- 
toocook on the Merrimac to the westward.” 

So I was told, the last time I rode down to 
Deerfield in the fall,” said the captain. 

^^This letter I bear is on that business,” said 
Smead. It is a plan to keep the scouts passing 
back and forth, from fort to fort, in each line, 
and also from line to line of the northwestern 
forts.” 

While her northern boundary was still un- 
settled, the province of Massachusetts, during 
Father Rasle’s War (in 1723-24), to protect 
her settlements in the Connecticut Valley 
below, had built a strong fort on the west 
bank of the Connecticut above Northfield 
(then the northernmost settlement), called 


174 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Fort Dummer.^ And in 1736 Massachusetts 
had laid out four townships east of the Con- 
necticut above Northfield, called Townships 
Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively.^ 

In 1740 three families by the name of Farns- 
worth from Lunenburg, Mass., had ventured 
up into the wilderness and begun a settlement 
at No. 4, forty-five miles above Northfield, the 
nearest settlement. They were soon joined 
by Capt. Phineas Stevens of Rutland and a 
few other families. In 1743 these venturesome 
settlers built a mill, and a fort which soon 
became well known as Fort No. 4. On the 
west side of the Connecticut a few settlers had 
located at Great Meadows and at Vernon, each 
having a blockhouse or two for defence, and 
within the limits of New Hampshire there were 
a few settlers at Upper and Lower Ashuelot.^ 

There were therefore two lines of forts: one 
running north and south, on the Connecticut; 
the other at right angles to it, east and west, 
along the northern border of Massachusetts. 

A boundary dispute had long been waged 
between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 
To settle this. Governor Belcher had in 1741 

1 At Brattleboro. 

2 Now Chesterfield, Westmoreland, Walpole, and Charlestown, 
N.H. 

3 Keene and Swanzey, N.H. 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


175 


sent one Richard Hazen to survey a boundary 
line, running west from a point on the Merrimac 
even farther south than New Hampshire had 
dared claim. 

“Hazen^s Line’’ threw all the forts built by 
Massachusetts into New Hampshire, a palpable 
injustice which not only bred much ill feeling 
between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, 
but also, in Massachusetts, against the home 
government. 

But when the present war broke out, as 
New Hampshire, a new and weak province, 
most of whose settlements were along the 
Merrimac, declared herself wholly unable to 
maintain her newly acquired forts on the Con- 
necticut, Massachusetts, in spite of her injuries, 
assumed the entire care of these forts. The 
snowshoe companies, raised and maintained by 
Massachusetts, were to scout constantly back 
and forth along the two lines of forts. 

Aaron Rice had many questions to ask of 
Sergeant Smead about the snowshoe companies. 

“ They go out in little squads, under a corporal 
or sergeant,” said Smead, in reply to Aaron’s 
queries. The government furnishes them with 
snowshoes. A handsome bounty is paid now 
by our government for Indian scalps, making it 
quite an object for young men to enlist.” 


176 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


should love to go out snowshoe scouting/’ 
said Aaron eagerly. “Don’t you think you 
could spare me, father, for a while this winter, 
now you have Titus to help? ” 

“I don’t know. I will consider the matter 
and decide later,” said Captain Rice. 

Sergeant Smead departed on his way. But, 
not many days after, a company of ten snow- 
shoe scouts appeared at Captain Rice’s, to be 
entertained over night. These scouts were 
mostly Deerfield young men, led by Sergeant 
John Hawks. The Rice boys were glad to find 
among them Matthew Clesson, Jonathan Hoyt, 
Thomas Nims, Gershom Hawks, Oliver Amsden, 
and others of their friends. 

“May I ask your plans. Sergeant?” said 
Captain Rice. “ I suppose they are not a 
military secret.” 

The company of young men were seated 
around the long table, in the cheerful light of 
the fire blazing high in the big fireplace, doing 
a valiant trencher service no doubt typical of 
their exploits in war, should they encounter the 
enemy. After journeying the twenty-two miles 
from Deerfield on snowshoes, the smoking hot 
supper which Mrs. Rice and her daughters had 
prepared, plain though it was, relished wonder- 
fully. 


SNOWSHOE SCOtJTING. 


177 


secret from you, Captain Rice, at all 
events,’’ said Hawks. “We are bound for 
Fort Shirley, thence to Fort Morrison in Cole- 
rain, and across country to Burk’s Fort at 
Falltown. Then up the Connecticut to Fort 
Dummer and Fort No. 4, and back by way of 
Northfield to Deerfield. I’m sorry to say we 
are short of men. We ought to have two more 
by good rights.” 

Aaron started at this, his eyes flashing 
eagerly. 

“How happens it that you have not your 
full quota of men?” asked Captain Rice. 

“Governor Shirley has some secret military 
expedition planned,” said Hawks. “He has 
sent orders to Colonel Stoddard to enlist men 
for this expedition, and Stoddard sent out 
Capt. Seth Pomeroy of Northampton to beat 
up for men all over the upper part of Hamp- 
shire County. Colonel Stoddard also wrote to 
Captain Williams at Fort Shirley to drum up 
volunteers, and about sixteen of his men at the 
fort have enlisted. The garrison at Fort Shirley 
had to be filled, and men have been in such 
demand we could not secure our full number.” 

“I wonder much what Governor Shirley is 
planning to do,” said Rice. 

“ We shall know in due time, no doubt ” said 
12 


178 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Hawks. “ His plans are a profound secret now. 
Meantime I am anxious to fill up my numbers. 
Sergeant Smead gave me some hope that your 
son Aaron might join us.’^ 

^‘1 am ready to go,” said Aaron. 

^Hf he is really needed, he can go,” said 
Captain Rice. 

It was late ere the Rices slept that night. 
Every one was bustling about, making Aaron 
ready to start early the next morning. Mrs. 
Rice, as she' packed a knapsack of necessities 
for her son, hunting up her thickest homespun 
blankets for his use, and crowding in extra 
pairs of warm woolen socks, said to Dinah, 
who was helping her: 

“There is one comfort. The worst of the 
winter is over. It is late February, and he 
only has to be out about a month. I hope he 
will get enough of soldiering to content him for 
a while.” 

When, the next morning, the scouts marched 
off in long file, Aaron bringing up the rear, his 
fur cap pulled well down over his ears, his 
blankets and knapsack strapped on his back, 
his mother stood in the door watching him with 
tear-dimmed eyes until a hill at last hid him 
from her sight. 

Though Aaron too felt somewhat affected by 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


179 


the solemnity of the words good-bye’’ under 
such circumstances, yet, with the light-hearted- 
ness of youth, he soon shed any sad reflections, 
animated by the exhilarating feeling that he 
was departing for new scenes and experiences. 

The men strode on over the snow in silence, 
walking in Indian file, about a rod apart. This 
was done that, in case of ambush, Indians 
might not be able to pick off more than one or 
two men at most. The rest would instantly 
seek cover behind tree trunks, and fight the 
Indians in their own fashion. 

They journeyed on due east. The path was 
up and down many a hill, and Aaron, although 
well accustomed to short trips on snowshoes, 
had never before taken such a long tramp on the 
cumbersome things. His legs began to ache 
almost beyond endurance, and he was heartily 
glad when, as the sun sank behind the western 
mountains, in descending a hill he saw, across 
the valley below, a clearing on the opposite 
hillside, in which stood a log fort, which he 
knew must be Fort Shirley. 

As, immediately after supper, the scouts 
rolled up in their blankets and lay down on the 
floor in one of the rooms to sleep, their knap- 
sacks under their heads, Jonathan said to Aaron: 

^^Do your legs cramp any, Aaron?” 


180 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“Some,” answered Aaron, not disposed to 
complain. Really his muscles seemed drawn 
into knots. 

“It will be hard travelling for you at first 
to-morrow morning,” said Jonathan. “But 
the only remedy is to keep at it. It grows a 
little easier each day out.” 

“ This floor is nT a feather bed, to state the 
case mildly,” said Nims. “But I tell you, 
Aaron, this is luxury compared to camping 
out in the woods all night.” 

“Pve enlisted for the whole campaign, and 
mean to take it as it comes,” said Aaron. 

“That^s right. That^s the way to talk. No 
use in whining,” said Nims. 

The tired scouts were soon fast asleep, rising 
next morning with limbs a little lame and stiff 
from their hard bed, but ready to start off as 
soon as breakfast was over. 

About noon the scouts reached the block- 
house of Hugh Morrison on North River in 
Colerain, known as Fort Morrison. Hugh Mor- 
rison was one of the resolute Scotch-Irishmen 
who had taken up land in this new region. 

Here Sergeant Hawks was pleased to secure 
another recruit in David Morrison, son of Hugh, 
an active, courageous young man, who, like 
Aaron, was eager to enlist when he learned 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 181 

that there was a vacancy in the scouting com- 
pany. 

As they went on, David Morrison proved of 
especial service as a guide over the very hilly 
country covered with forest that lay between 
his father^s fort and Burkes Fort in Falltown, 
having often traversed this trail. 

The trail crossed the Green River. As the 
scouts were descending cautiously down a steep 
hillside into the deep ravine through which 
Green River flows on her way to the Deerfield, 
they were startled by hearing a noise. Any 
noise in the stillness of the wintry forest was 
suggestive of unpleasant possibilities. 

Sergeant Hawks, by a motion of his hand, 
called a halt. All strained their ears to listen. 
Down in the ravine below was certainly a crack- 
ling of twigs and branches, caused by something 
moving. 

The march was resumed. Peering through 
the tree trunks, at length they saw a huge moose, 
which had come doym from the woods upon 
the river^s ice to drink at an open place where 
the black current flowed too swiftly to be 
frozen. 

It made a pretty woodland picture : the 
river’s white plain winding among the snow- 
covered hills, in whose woods rose many a dark 


182 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


green pine, spruce, or hemlock; and the solitary 
moose drinking at the opening in the ice. But 
the scouts were in no mood to appreciate the 
picturesque. They must not fire their guns 
unless absolutely necessary, as they well under- 
stood. They rushed down on the ice, surround- 
ing the moose, which, terrified at this sudden 
invasion of its solitudes, ran back towards the 
woods, hoping to escape. The snow on the 
hillside’s southern slope had softened in the 
February sun, and the heavy animal sank in 
deeply. The scouts had no difficulty in killing 
it with clubs and hatchets, and went on, well 
laden with moose meat, much pleased at this 
stroke of good luck. 

Burk’s Fort stood on the banks of Fall River. 
It was a log structure, built by Capt. John 
Burk for the protection of himself and family 
and other settlers. 

Captain Burk gave the scouts a warm wel- 
come, and plenty of their moose meat was soon 
roasting before the fire, sending out odors most 
tempting to hungry men who had been living 
on cold salt pork and bread. Mrs. Burk, who 
was Jonathan Hoyt’s oldest sister, Sarah, was 
overjoyed to see her brother and other Deerfield 
friends, and anxious to do all in her power for 
their comfort. 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


183 


“We are almost deserted here now/’ said 
Captain Burk in an evening talk beside the fire 
with Sergeant Hawks. “This war has given 
Falltown a hard blow. We had seven families 
here and more coming, and a meeting-house 
and settled minister of our own, Rev. John 
Norton. But now we are nearly broken up. 
All but two families have left, and Mr. Norton 
is going as soon as he can get escort to Deer- 
field. His wife and children returned to Spring- 
field when the war broke out, and he will join 
them there.” 

“ There is certainly little outlook for a minister 
here, in these troubled times,” said Hawks. 

“I can but feel it hard that the mother 
country should precipitate us into war, for 
matters that we know and care nothing about,” 
said Burk. “ Here we were, settled and peace- 
able, opening up a new country, everything 
thriving, when lo, we are plunged into war, 
simply because the home government so decides, 
without any quarrel of our own.” 

“And then France hastens to let loose all 
the Indians in Canada on our poor settlements,” 
said Hawks. 

Rev. John Norton, a pleasant, kindly young 
man of thirty, asked a blessing at the supper 
table. Soon after supper he held the regular 


184 


BOYS OF TPIE BORDER. 


evening prayers, before the scouts camped 
down for the night. 

The scouts were tired to the last degree, and 
almost unable to keep their eyes open. Yet on 
all hearts descended a sense of peace and pro- 
tection as Mr. Norton^s voice, in a tone of 
reverent faith, read the Twenty-seventh Psalm, 
and followed it by a fervent prayer. 

With the early dawn the scouts were off to 
the northeast, their knapsacks heavy with an 
agreeable addition to their provisions in shape 
of some cold roast moose meat. Sergeant 
Hawks led the way over the snow and through 
the trackless woods with the confidence of one 
who travels a famihar road. At first Aaron 
wondered at this confidence, but soon began to 
see signs of a trail; a blazed tree now and then, 
or trees cut in places from the path and rolled 
down to fill up hollows. 

^^This trail must be well known to Sergeant 
Hawks,’^ thought Aaron. 

Well might he think so, for this was the old 
Indian trail north to Canada, and over it had 
travelled all the sorrowful captives from Deer- 
field in 1704. 

The sun, high overhead, at last indicated 
that it was noon, as the scouts^ hunger also 
informed them, but still Hawks pressed on, not 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


185 


halting as they expected. But the reason was 
plain when, coming out of the dense forest 
through which they had journeyed all the fore- 
noon, they saw below them a stretch of open 
meadows and the snowy, white plain of a large 
river, which they knew must be the Connecti- 
cut. 

The scouts’ hearts were gladdened to see in 
these meadows two small blockhouses standing 
about a half mile apart, but otherwise solitary 
and alone in the wide stretch of unsettled 
country. These were Fort Sawtelle and Fort 
Bridgman.^ Smoke curling up from their chim- 
neys promised warmth and rest, and the men 
pressed eagerly after him as Hawks led the 
way to the nearer blockhouse. Fort Sawtelle, 
where its builder, Josiah Sawtelle, and his wife 
gave the scouts a cordial reception. 

Josiah Sawtelle had ventured up into these 
wilds from Lancaster to settle in 1739, followed 
in a few years by fellow townsmen, William 
Phipps and others. Sawtelle’s beautiful young 
daughter, Jemima, had married William Phipps 
and gone up to Great Meadow to live. 

After a short rest on went the scouts, some- 
times along the frozen surface of the broad 
river, where walking was comparatively easy, 

^ In Vernon, Vt, 


186 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


but oftener in the woods either side the river, 
to examine them for traces of Indians. 

The sun had set, the twilight was fast darken- 
ing into night, the cold wind roared gloomily 
through the trees, and still the weary march 
through the wilds continued. Aaron thought 
to himself: 

We will have to camp on the snow to-night, 
I guess.” 

The darkness increasing. Hawks returned to 
the river^s icy bed. The stars twinkled out 
above until the sky^s dark vault gleamed with 
their brilliance, shedding a faint light on the 
snow. Aaron now saw on their right the bulk 
of a high mountain rising darkly up beneath 
the stars. Then Jonathan Hoyt turned, point- 
ing ahead to a light streaming cheerfully forth 
into the darkness from a low structure dimly 
seen in the starlight on the left. 

^^Fort Dummer,”^ said Jonathan, falling back 
near Aaron. 

This was good news to Aaron, for the fort 
promised comfortable shelter. Moreover he 
had heard much of Fort Dummer, and was 
pleased that at last he should see it. All the 
scouts felt the same interest. But so weary 
were they on arrival that they cared for 

1 Brattleboro, Vt. 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 187 

nothing but to lie down at once, as soon as 
they had eaten supper. 

In the early morning Aaron and some of the 
others were up, eager to improve the oppor- 
tunity to inspect the fort. A young soldier, 
one of the garrison, joined them to act as 
escort. 

The fort was twenty feet high, built of hewn 
pine logs, similar to the other forts of the time. 
It was about one hundred and fifty feet square, 
though somewhat irregular in shape, narrowest 
on the side towards the river. Mounts were 
built on each corner, projecting beyond the 
walls from four to eleven feet, thus forming 
bastions for defence. In two of these mounts 
a large cannon was mounted. Several small 
houses were built against the inner walls of the 
fort. Without, a stockade surrounding the fort 
enclosed an acre and a half of meadow land. 

Aaron noticed that some of the houses were 
unoccupied, and asked : 

^^For whom are these houses meant? For 
settlers to occupy in case of war?” 

^^No,” said the soldier. Those are the 
houses built for the use of the Indians. You 
know there was a truck-house kept here, with 
Capt. Joseph Kellogg for truck-master. As he 
had lived so long a captive in Canada, he under- 


188 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


stood not only the Indians' language, but how 
to deal with them. Six Indian chiefs were kept 
here for ten years, regularly commissioned and 
paid by our government, three Caghnawagas 
and three Scatacooks. The Caghnawagas were 
Colonel Ontosogo, Lieutenant-Colonel Thyhau- 
selkou, and Major Conneighau; and the Scata- 
cooks were Captain Massaquan, Captain Nanna- 
toohau, and Lieutenant Massamah." 

The boys laughed at these titles, prefixed to 
Indian names. 

“Never were Indians better treated. Some 
of the meadow land was set apart for their 
special use, and they were invited to bring their 
families here, and given many privileges. Many 
Indians used to resort here to trade their furs. 
There were lively scenes here in the spring; the 
river shore lined with canoes drawn up and 
turned over, with other canoes coming down 
from the north, heavily laden with furs, the 
product of the winter's hunt, and Indians, in 
blankets and feathers, coming and going. The 
government hoped by all this kindness to make 
strong friends of the tribes north and west of 
us, and so wean them from the French." 

“ One would suppose that even Indians would 
have appreciated such kind treatment," said 
Oliver Amsden. 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


189 


“ But they did n^t. At the first hint of war, 
before we had even heard that it was declared, 
Colonel Ontosogo, Captain Massaquan, and all 
the others, every Indian of them all, disap- 
peared, vanished like dry leaves before a gale of 
wind, and we have seen no more of them.” 

After breakfast the scouts delayed only for 
the morning prayer of Rev. Edward Billings, 
the young chaplain now stationed at this re- 
mote fort. They travelled north about six 
miles, reaching the small settlement of four or 
five houses clustered around a blockhouse at 
Great Meadows.^ The scouts halted here for 
a short rest, receiving the usual warm and 
hearty welcome from the isolated settlers. Wil- 
liam Phipps said to his wife : 

Jemima, cannot you give the scouts a warm 
bite of something? I Ve been out scouting my- 
self, and I well know how something hot relishes 
after tramping through the cold woods on snow- 
shoes.” 

“I was just going to put some of my mince 
pies warming,” said Mrs. Phipps. 

Into the bake-oven before the blazing fire 
went three big mince pies, and as, later, the 
scouts ate the delicious pies and drank some 
of her home-brewed beer, they gazed both 

1 Putney, Vt, 


190 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


gratefully and admiringly on their handsome 
young hostess, as kind as she was pretty. 

Nehemiah Howe, one of the settlers, in talk- 
ing with Sergeant Hawks about the prospects 
of the war, said: 

^^We have a blockhouse of our own, as you 
see, for refuge in case of sudden attack; but we 
really rely chiefly on Fort Dummer for our 
safety. We shall all take refuge there, in case 
we see strong indications of Indians. But we feel 
greatly protected by your snowshoe scoutings.’^ 
^^We have found no signs of Indians on this 
scout as yet,’^ said Hawks. 

As the scouts were about starting on again, 
much refreshed by the rest and the little lunch- 
eon at Great Meadow, Sergeant Hawks said: 

^^Boys, from this point on is the most dan- 
gerous part of our way, where we are most 
exposed to encounters with the enemy. There 
is nothing in the wilderness now between us 
and Canada but the little post at No. 4.^^ 

The scouts hardly needed this warning, for 
all realized that they were now remote from 
civilization, with nothing human to rely upon 
but their own strength and sagacity. The 
mountains, as they went farther north, were 
heavily wooded, the dark green of huge pines, 
firs, spruce, hemlocks, and cedars predominat- 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


191 


ing. It was a wildly beautiful yet dreary land- 
scape in the scouts^ eyes, and gave more than 
one of them a twinge of forlorn homesickness. 

The scouts found some slight signs of possi- 
ble enemies, and used extra vigilance. They 
marched farther that day than on any previous, 
and all were glad to see the sun sinking, all too 
slowly as it seemed to the tired men, who were 
quite ready to halt. 

For some time, through the silence as they 
strode along, they had heard a roaring, rushing 
sound to the north, growing louder as they 
went on. At last, in the dusk of evening, they 
reached a spot where the Connecticut swept 
around a turn close beneath a high mountain 
which towered up from its eastern shore, and 
dashed down over great rocks in natural falls.' 

^^We shall have to camp here to-night,^' 
said Sergeant Hawks. ^^Cut your boughs and 
spread them under these thick-growing hem- 
locks on the bank yonder. 

The scouts now found use for the sharp 
hatchets fastened at their belts. Working cau- 
tiously, making as httle noise as possible, they 
hacked off from fir and hemlock trees boughs, 
which they spread thickly on a sloping bank 
under the shelter of the drooping hemlock 

1 Bellows Falls. 


192 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


branches, having first scraped away some of 
the snow, banking it up around the sides of 
their rough bed. 

Of course no camp-fire could be built. After 
hurriedly eating some of their cold luncheons, 
they rolled up in their blankets and lay down, 
curling up closely together on their bed of hem- 
lock boughs for greater warmth. 

All was still, save the roaring of the falls. 
Up and down paced the sentry, Matthew Cles- 
son, who was on guard for the first haK of the 
night. A situation more lonely and dreary 
could hardly be imagined. The wild rushing 
of the river through the darkness, the huge 
bulk of the strange mountain towering up 
across the stream, the feeling of the possibility 
of one of the sudden attacks always imminent 
in Indian warfare, all combined to add to the 
young scout’s feeling of loneliness and helpless- 
ness. He thought of his young wife, Abigail 
(Nabby Hoyt), fast asleep, safe and sound, in 
her warm bed in far-away Deerfield. 

^^God bless her!” he thought, with a warm 
glow of love that made his heart beat faster. 
^^The chances are that the girl is not asleep at 
all, but lying awake, worrying about me, per- 
haps praying for my safe keeping.” 

Presently he fancied he detected another 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 193 

sound above the rushing of the falls, remote, but 
growing nearer and nearer. Yes, now he recog- 
nized it. It was the howling of a pack of 
wolves, a dreary sound heard amid such sur- 
roundings. 

Apparently the hungry wolves, starving in the 
naked winter woods, had scented human flesh 
from afar, and were stealing through the forest 
hoping for a feast. Soon Clesson, in the dim 
starlight, saw, or thought he saw, objects 
creeping stealthily from under the overhanging 
hemlocks towards the sleeping scouts. 

Clesson fired. Something bounded up, with 
an angry snarl and yelp. Instantly, at report 
of the musket, every man was on his feet, gun 
in hand. The pack of wolves, undismayed, 
came on, surrounding the scouts on all sides, 
snapping, snarling, and leaping, and were 
only repulsed after several had been slain. 
Then the rest retreated into the depths of the 
forest, whence their dreary howls, heard in the 
distance, did not tend to soothe the slumbers 
of the scouts, who lay down again, trying to 
sleep. Thomas Nims had now taken Matthew 
Clesson’s place as sentry, and the tired Matthew 
was the only man who slept soundly the rest 
of the night. 

Every one was ready to get up with the 
13 


194 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


break of day. Aaron rose limpingly, rubbing 
his side. 

'^What is the matter with you, Aaron?’’ 
asked David Morrison. 

Nothing, only I believe I am marked for 
life by that big branch that stuck into my ribs 
all night,” said Aaron. 

I was so tired I should have slept as soundly 
as if in my bed at home,” said David, ^^but for 
our callers. There they lie, some of them,” he 
added, pointing to the wolves whose dead 
bodies lay stretched out on the blood-stained, 
trampled snow. 

^^Boys, cut off their ears,” said Sergeant 
Hawks. ^^If we can get them back to Deer- 
field, we will divide the bounty equally among 
our number, share and share alike.” 

On again to the north marched the scouts, 
after forcing down enough frozen food from 
their knapsacks to sustain life, soon crossing 
the river to its eastern side. Marching some 
distance, they saw opposite them the mouth of 
a small river which came down through the 
defiles of the western hills to the Connecticut. 

Sergeant Hawks halted, and passed the word 
down the line : 

Yonder is the mouth of Williams River.” 

Williams River! Well did the Deerfield men 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


195 


know that this was the place where, in 1704, 
the French and Indians, on their return with 
their captives from Deerfield, had camped over 
Sunday, and where Rev. John Williams had 
preached to the desolate captives, thus giving 
the river its name. On many a winter evening, 
by the glowing fireside, had they heard vividly 
rehearsed the story of that dreary Sunday by 
friends or relations who had been among the 
captives. 

No wonder they gazed upon it with greatest 
interest, finding strength and courage in their 
own hardships from the remembrance of suffer- 
ings so much more terrible endured, not only 
by men, but by frail women and children, in 
this same region, forty years previous. 

Early in the morning they left the meadows 
along the river, following the base of a line of 
high hills which ran along on their right. At 
last they came to a small clearing in the woods 
on the plain of the fertile upland, where, 
scattered about among the stumps, stood a 
few houses, with a stockade fort in their midst. 

^'Here we are at last, boys, at No. 4,^’^ said 
Hawks cheerily. 

Glad were the exhausted men to know that 
the northernmost limit of their scout had 

' Charlestown, N.H. 


196 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


finally been reached, and that, although the 
sun still lacked two hours of setting, they could 
now stop and rest at ease. They looked worn 
and haggard as they huddled around the fire 
in the fortes stone fireplaces, where the huge 
logs blazed high, sending a grateful warmth 
into their chilled, half-frozen limbs. 

Capt. Phineas Stevens, commander of the 
fort, a brave and resolute man, gave the scouts 
hearty welcome, and Stephen Farnsworth, his 
brothers, and the other settlers flocked into 
the fort, having seen the scouts march in, glad 
to see the men from Deerfield, and eager to 
learn the latest news from Boston about the 
war. 

A little cluster of nine or ten families were 
living in huts near each other around the fort, 
in this remote place on the banks of the Con- 
necticut. In 1743 they had built not only the 
fort, but a cornmill and a sawmill. They 
chiefly relied upon this fort and the leadership 
of Captain Stevens for protection, though all 
were brave men, prepared to defend their homes 
and families with life itself if need be. 

Mrs. Farnsworth and others of the settlers’ 
wives brought in food to aid Mrs. Stevens in 
hospitably entertaining the scouts, glad also 
of an excuse to see some one from the far-away 


SNOWSHOE BCOTJTING. 


197 


world of civilization. After a hot supper that 
greatly refreshed the half-starved men, they 
sat around the glowing fire, while supper and 
evening work were cleared away, until the 
floor should be free for them to camp down. 

A pleasant touch of honielikeness was given 
to the scene by the appearance of an old spaniel 
and a large cat, that, after cautiously sniffing 
the strangers over, seemed to decide that they 
were trustworthy, and affably accepted the 
many attentions lavished upon them. 

^^What is your name, sir?^’ asked Aaron, 
as he patted the silky head of the brown spaniel 
that looked up at him with bright, friendly eyes. 

^^That is my dog Towser,” said Stevens. 

We could n^t get along without Towser. He 
can scent an Indian half a mile away, can’t 
you, Towser?” 

Towser assented by a short, sharp bark, 
wagging his tail proudly at the praises heaped 
upon him. 

The cat had leaped up into Oliver Amsden’s 
lap, and, stretched out on his knee, purred and 
knit its paws rapturously into Oliver’s leathern 
breeches, as Oliver stroked its soft yellow fur. 

^^It seems like home to see a cat again,” said 
Oliver. ^^My mother is a great hand to have 
cats around.” 


198 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


is my wife/^ said Stevens. ^^When we 
moved up here she insisted on bringing Thomas 
with us. He was a little kitten then. She 
brought him in a basket on horseback. When 
I milked the cows which we drove up with us, 
I always had to milk some into a pewter por- 
ringer for Thomas. A bother I thought it, 
save as it pleased my wife, who was taking her 
life in her hand, venturing into the wilderness 
with me. But Thomas more than earns his 
board. He keeps both house and grain-bin 
free from rats and mice.’^ 

Sergeant Hawks felt it necessary to rest a 
few days at Fort No. 4 before beginning the 
homeward tramp. The morning on which the 
scouts at last left the fort was fair, but ominous 
gray cloud banks lay low along the western 
horizon. 

“Sergeant,’’ said Stephen Farnsworth, as the 
scouts were marching away, “those clouds 
yonder are snow banks, or I am no weather 
prophet. I fear you will be caught in a snow- 
storm.” 

“We shall push on as rapidly as possible to 
the south,” said Hawks. “Perhaps we can 
keep ahead of the storm.” 

The scouts’ course this day was along the 
river’s eastern shore. Toward noon they 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


199 


reached the foot of the high mountain opposite 
Great Falls. Sergeant Hawks, halting, called 
his men around him and said : 

It is necessary that we climb this mountain 
part way, at least, to spy the country around 
for smokes.’’ 

We will follow. Sergeant, wherever you 
lead,” said Clesson. 

The mountain towered above the men in 
stern grandeur. Its steep, snow-clad side was 
broken by rocks jutting blackly out, on which 
grew dark pines and firs, leaning over as if 
they might at any moment lose their precarious 
foothold and come sliding down. The moun- 
tain seemed to frown down sternly on the puny 
human beings at its foot. 

Undismayed, the scouts began the climb, at 
last attaining a height commanding a far out- 
look over the surrounding country. No smokes 
were visible, though Hawks noted a suspicious 
blue haze in the far north, up the river. Mean- 
time the clouds had crept over the sky until 
it was a cold gray, the sun had vanished, and 
the air was intensely chilly. Sergeant Hawks 
felt it advisable to hasten down the mountain. 

If the ascent had been difficult, going down 
was even harder, but at least each step brought 
them nearer the bottom. It was already dark 


200 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


when they reached the mountain’s foot, for the 
night had set in early. 

Hawks ordered the camp to be made at the 
mountain’s foot. Nims was placed on guard 
the first half of the night. The others made 
the usual couch of hemlock boughs and tumbled 
down on it, thankful to rest. As Aaron and 
Jonathan lay down side by side, Aaron, shiver- 
ing, drew his blanket tighter about him, say- 
ing: 

believe I never was so cold. I wonder if 
we are not in some danger of freezing before 
morning.” 

“ If we could only have a good rousing camp- 
fire it would be a great comfort,” said Jona- 
than. ^^But of course that would not answer. 
We shall have to stand it.” 

Aaron was so thoroughly fagged out that he 
fell asleep in spite of his discomfort. Waking 
during the night, he was surprised to find him- 
self perfectly comfortable, a cozy warmth glow- 
ing through his body. 

Seems as if I were at home,” he thought 
sleepily, as he dropped off again into heavy 
slumber. 

When he awoke in the morning and threw 
the blanket down from his head, to his surprise 
a small avalanche of snow tumbled into his 





“ Shaggy white with snow, the scouts plodded resolutely on.” 

Page 201. 







V ^ 



SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


201 


face. Raising his head and peering around, 
he found that his sleeping comrades, like him- 
self, had been covered with several inches of 
snow during the night. All around him the 
sleeping forms of the scouts made mounds under 
the new-fallen snow, like white graves. 

Aaron sat up, laughing aloud. Out popped 
Jonathan's head from under the snow, he star- 
ing around at first in blank surprise, then join- 
ing Aaron in his laugh, as head after head 
popped out from under its snow}" coverlid. 

'^That snowstorm did us a good turn last 
night, said Aaron. 

^^Twas better than a wadded comforter,’^ 
said Jonathan. 

But although the snow had answered so 
admirably for bed covering, it promised any- 
thing but a comfortable day for walking. It 
was still falling when the scouts resumed their 
march southward. They had no choice. They 
must perforce go on. To keep walking was 
their only safety. 

To make matters worse, a gale of wind was 
blowing, whirling the swift-flying snowflakes all 
about them in a wild dance. 

Shaggy white with snow, the scouts plodded 
resolutely on, seeming like ghosts as they glided 
along in the mist of whirling snowflakes 


202 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


through the silent woods. Sergeant Hawks 
maintained the best pace possible under the 
circumstances, for he knew it was absolutely 
necessary to reach shelter that evening, and 
the scouts put forth every atom of strength to 
keep up with their energetic leader. 

When, as it grew dark, they safely reached 
Fort Hinsdale, all felt that never had food, 
shelter, fire, been quite so welcome as on this 
stormy night. They had the warmest recep- 
tion from Col. Ebenezer Hinsdale and his wife, 
for both were Deerfield people. Sergeant 
Hawks brought Mrs. Hinsdale letters from her 
brother, Capt. Elijah Williams, and other friends, 
and for Colonel Hinsdale letters from both the 
Captain Williamses, with the latest tidings from 
England and the Bay about the war. 

Like most people in Deerfield at that time, 
the Hinsdales were but too familiar with the 
horrors of Indian warfare. Colonel Hinsdale 
was born at sea, during the return of his parents, 
Mehuman Hinsdale and wife, from Canadian 
captivity in 1706. His father, Mehuman, was 
again captured in 1709, and carried away to 
Canada. Colonel Hinsdale^s wife, Abigail, was 
the eldest daughter of the Rev. John Williams 
by his second wife, and a half-sister of Rev. 
Stephen Williams of Longmeadow, the ^‘Boy 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


203 


Captive.” Well did she and her husband realize 
the danger of their position. But they stayed 
courageously at their post, determined to pro- 
tect the little settlement they were trying to 
upbuild in the wilderness. Although much of 
Colonel Hinsdale’s time and attention was neces- 
sarily given to his settlement at Fort Hins- 
dale, he still retained his estate in Deerfield, 
which during his absence was managed for him 
by his faithful slave, Meshick. 

Mrs. Hinsdale was a woman of fine presence, 
handsome, dignified, and stately, her expression 
indicating resolution and spirit. As she directed 
her slaves, Chloe and Noble, in the preparation 
of an excellent hot supper for the exhausted 
scouts, Clesson, watching her, said to Hawks 
as she left the room: 

Young Madam Hinsdale seems a woman of 
unusual spirit.” 

‘^You may well say that,” said Hawks. 
^^She has spirit enough for a whole garrison. 
When the colonel is sometimes called to Deer- 
field, she remains here to manage matters 
in his absence. He can safely rely on her 
judgment and courage, and leave all in her 
care.” 

Jonathan Hoyt had known black Chloe ever 
since he was a small boy, as the Hinsdales’ 


204 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Deerfield home was near his father’s house. 
Many a cooky had Chloe slipped into his hand 
when he was playing about in days gone by. 

When Jonathan limped nearer the fire, Chloe, 
her black face shining in the firelight, as she 
bent over her large frying pan, exclaimed : 

^^Land sakes, Marse Jonathan! Is that you? 
How ever did you happen to come way off up 
here in the woods?” 

^^I’m out scouting, Chloe,” said Jonathan. 

^^Well, well, to think that the children have 
to come to it! It don’t seem more ’n yester- 
day since I was spanking you for dipping into 
my raspberry jam when my back was turned,” 
said Chloe, her teeth gleaming white as she 
laughed. 

Jonathan laughed too at this reminiscence of 
his boyhood. 

Anyway, it’s a sight good for sore eyes to 
see some folks from Deerfield,” added Chloe, 
asking many questions about Parson Ashley’s 
^^Jin,” Luce ’Bijah, the Sheldons’ “Coffee,” 
Meshick, and others of her friends among the 
Deerfield slaves, as she worked. 

The next morning dawned bright and beauti- 
ful, the sun shining with dazzling radiance on 
the pure, fresh snow covering hill and meadow 
and frozen river, loading down the tree boughs 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


205 


and half burying the little log huts clustered 
around Fort Hinsdale. 

The scouts were all lame and footsore, yet 
nevertheless must set forth. 

By steady toil over the fresh snow at last 
they reached Northfield, where they were quar- 
tered at the large mount and fort of Capt. 
Ebenezer Alexander. The mount, built on the 
rising land east of his house, was two stories in 
height, forming the east end of a fort which 
sloped down hill to the west, enclosing the 
buildings and yard. A small garrison was kept 
at this fort by the government, and it was 
altogether a more imposing place than some of 
the other forts which the scouts had visited. 

Northfield was an important place to defend. 
For some years it had been the frontier town 
to the north. Since the building of Fort Bum- 
mer, and since several small settlements had 
been started above Northfield, its people had felt 
a greater sense of security, yet still just fears 
were suffered of possible Indian raids, and the 
arrival of this band of scouts from the north, 
with word that no strong signs of Indians had 
been discovered, gave great relief to the North- 
field people. 

After a day or two spent resting here, the 
scouts went on down the river. They crossed 


206 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


the Connecticut a little above the old Peskeomp- 
skut Falls, now often called Turners Falls, in 
memory of Capt. William Turner who, during 
King Philipps War, led the fight at these falls 
which broke the power of the Indians in this 
vicinity. Fragments of half-burned, blackened 
logs, strewing the ground among the trees and 
bushes which had grown up on the spot, still 
showed where the Indian camp had been 
burned by the English under Turner. 

Crossing a high rocky ridge west of the river,^ 
the scouts came down into a pleasant valley 
beyond. As they descended the side of the 
ridge, smoke was seen rising to the south. 

‘‘ That is Green River district,’^ said Jonathan. 

We are in Deerfield now, almost at home.” 

^^For one, I shall not be sorry to see Deer- 
field street,” said Aaron, and so felt all the 
scouts. 

The scouts, excepting Thomas Nims, who 
lived in the Green River district, pushed on, 
weary though they were, impatient to reach 
home. As they marched into the north end 
of Deerfield^s long street, the lights stream- 
ing cheerfully out from Parson Ashley’s house 
seemed to give these returning Deerfield men a 
friendly welcome. 

^ Rocky Mountain in Greenfield. 


SNOWSHOE SCOUTING. 


207 


Well, boys, here we are, through the mercies 
of God, safely home again,’^ said Sergeant Hawks. 

^^Of course you will stop with me, Aaron, 
said Jonathan, as he joyfully rushed into his 
father^s house, followed by Aaron. 

The family were sitting quietly around the 
evening fire, busy with their usual occupations. 
Mrs. Hoyt had just said with a sigh: 

wish I knew where Jonathan is to-night. 
It seems so long since he went away, with no 
means of hearing from him, or knowing whether 
he be dead or alive.’’ 

^^Pooh, pooh,” began Lieutenant Hoyt re- 
assuringly, when open burst the door with a 
rush of cold outer air, and in limped Jonathan! 

He was received almost like one risen from 
the dead. 

^^Oh, Jonathan, my son, my son,” cried the 
mother, with tears of joy, while his father 
gripped his son’s hand, and scanning his face, 
said: 

Pretty well used up, I guess, Jonathan, 
my boy.” 

^^Yes, father. But I don’t care, now it is 
done and I am home again.” 

Aaron too was given most friendly greeting. 
Mrs. Hoyt said : 

^^You must not think of starting for home, 


208 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Aaron, until you are well rested and over your 
lameness. You had both better go right to 
bed. Here is a bottle of my angleworm oint- 
ment. Rub it well in. It is a sure cure for 
lameness.’’ 

As the boys tumbled into the soft pigeon- 
feather bed, it seemed indeed the height of lux- 
ury after lying so long on hard floors or the 
snowy ground. The sense of repose, of entire 
relaxation from the long strain of vigilant 
watching, was so great that they slept without 
waking until ten o’clock the next morning, an 
unheard-of idleness in a Puritan family. 

Shall I call the boys, mother?” asked the 
lieutenant at the breakfast table. 

“No, let the poor fellows sleep as long as 
they can. They need it. It made my heart 
ache to see how thin and worn and fagged out 
they both looked when they came in last night,” 
said motherly Mrs. Hoyt. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


GOOD NEWS. 

T he next day Aaron, being partly rested, 
could no longer restrain his impatience to 
be at home. He knew his father would need his 
help about the spring work, soon to begin, and 
he longed to see home again after this, his first 
long absence. So off he went, alone and on 
foot, to traverse the twenty-two miles, largely 
up hill, that lay between Deerfield and home. 

He set off at break of day, to journey as far 
as possible before the sun should thaw the crust. 
As he walked briskly on, he was alert for the 
slightest unusual sight or sound. His brief 
experience as a scout seemed to have sharpened 
his senses, made him more sensitive to sounds. 

^'No Indian is going to catch me unawares,^^ 
he thought as he trudged on. 

The air was pure and clear, the sun sparkled 
on the glittering crust, and there was a feeling 
of elation in walking freely and easily high up 
above the ground on top the snowdrifts, his 
feet crunching the icy crust as he strode swiftly 

14 


210 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


on. He carried his snowshoes on his back. 
Later, when the crust thawed, he would be 
obliged to wear them. 

But for the happy thoughts that absorbed 
his mind, thoughts of soon being at home again 
and meeting the dear ones there, and the feeling 
of having done a hard duty manfully, Aaron 
would have found it dreary tramping on through 
the forest all day long, without the sight of one 
house or fence or sign of human life to vary 
the monotony. Toward night, as he was near- 
ing home, the path, which had run close along 
the Deerfield^s bank, turned more to the right, 
away from the river and near the hills. At 
this point Aaron’s ears, sensitive to the least 
sound, heard a slight noise in the woods at 
foot of the hills on his right. 

Cautiously slipping along in the direction of 
the noise, he was in time to see a large she-bear 
climbing clumsily backward down an immense 
old oak, in whose hollow trunk she had prob- 
ably spent the winter. 

If Aaron had not molested her, probably 
she would have gone her way, paying no atten- 
tion to him. But she furnished too inviting a 
mark, and Aaron hastily fired, wounding but 
not killing the bear. She turned instantly and 
came fiercely at him. 


GOOD NEWS. 


211 


Aaron fired again, wounding the bear on the 
head, enraging her the more. With furious 
growls she rose on her hind legs and plunged 
towards Aaron, trying to clutch him with her 
paws in a death hug. Aaron beat her back 
with his gunstock, thinking: 

Pretty business this, if I have scouted all 
over the country, to be killed by a bear almost 
in sight of home!” 

At this moment he heard a welcome sound, 
the loud barking of a dog. Out from the 
northern woods rushed old Bose, flying at the 
bear with a fury which successfully diverted 
her attention from Aaron, giving him a chance 
to reload his gun and fire again. This time he 
skilfully aimed below her shoulder, hitting the 
heart. 

The bear rolled over and lay stretched out 
on the ground, dead. Old Bose was nearly 
frantic with joy between this unexpected meet- 
ing with his well-loved young master and the 
downfall of his enemy, and flew back and forth 
from Aaron to the prostrate bear, barking 
wildly, feeling, if only he could have spoken : 

We killed her, did n’t we, Aaron?” 

^^You helped, any way, old boy. I donT 
know how I should have come out if you had nT 
arrived in the nick of time,” said Aaron, patting 


212 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Bose^s head as he answered the dog’s unspoken 
thought, glad to hear his own voice again after 
the long, solitary day. 

Are you out hunting all by yourself, Bose?” 
asked Aaron. 

But here the dog ran barking towards the 
woods, to greet Titus King and Sylvanus, and 
escort them proudly to Aaron and the dead bear. 

Having heard Aaron’s gun in the distance, 
the young men had advanced cautiously through 
the woods to reconnoitre. Great was their 
surprise and delight to meet Aaron so unex- 
pectedly. 

The three skinned the bear and took home 
all the meat they could carry. The rest they 
bound up in bundles with strips of stout moose- 
wood bark, and tied high up in the branches of 
a staddle which they bent over to receive its 
burden, and then let snap back upright again. 

There,” said Titus, “now no wolves or 
foxes will eat up our bear’s meat in the night, 
and to-morrow we will come back for the rest. 
That was a stroke of real luck, Aaron. Bear 
meat is u-s good as pork. Your mother’s pork 
barrel is getting low, she has had to entertain 
so many soldiers, first and last. I should n’t 
wonder if she salted down some of this bear 
meat.” 


GOOD NEWS. 


213 


^^But now, Aaron, tell us all about your 
scouting,’’ said Sylvanus, eager to hear his 
brother’s experiences. 

“That’s a long story, Sylvanus,” said Aaron. 
“I expect I shall be telling it, off and on, for 
the next month, until every one is tired of 
hearing it.” 

Aaron was received home with the greatest 
joy by his parents and sisters, and that night 
all sat up later than usual by the fireside 
listening with eager interest to the tale of 
Aaron’s experiences, and his description of the 
different forts and people he had seen. 

“You have had a chance to see and learn 
much,” said hh« father, “and, as long as you 
are safely returned, I am glad you could have 
the experience. We have some news for you 
too.” 

“News?” said Aaron. 

“Yes. That new fort north of us is being 
built now, I suppose; the one we began work 
on last fall.” 

“Who is doing the work?” 

“ The soldiers from Fort Shirley, under 
Lieutenant Gatlin, in the absence of Captain 
Williams.” 

“ I thought we were going to build that fort, 
father.” 


214 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“Colonel Stoddard is in great haste to have 
it completed without delay. He sent a mes- 
senger here with a letter to me, while you were 
away, asking if I could have the fort done in 
ten days’ time. Of course that was impossible, 
and so I wrote him on the messenger’s return. 
But I told him he was welcome to use the logs 
we had cut and drawn together. I will gladly 
contribute that much towards it.” 

“We can well afford to do that,” said Aaron. 
“That certainly is the best of news.” 

“Your mother begins to sleep better nights 
already, since she has known the fort was 
actually being built.” 

“I shall sleep better now that I know my 
boy is safely under his father’s roof again,” 
said his mother, looking at her son with loving 
eyes. “To think of your sleeping outdoors on 
the snow!” 

Towards the last of April, Captain Rice said: 

“ I believe I will ride up to the new fort and 
see how it is progressing. It is a matter of 
the utmost importance to us.” 

The new fort was about four and a half miles 
north of Captain Rice’s house. On his return 
all gathered around, interested to hear his 
report. 

“The fort is nearly done; in fact, is all done, 


GOOD NEWS. 


215 


except a few last details/^ said the captain with 
an air of satisfaction. ^^They have made 
better progress than I thought possible in the 
time. ^ Fort Pelham/^ Captain Williams calls it; 
and he has named the big brook flowing near, 
^Pelham Brook. ^ You know that the fort is 
built to prevent the Indians’ access to the 
Deerfield down this brook.” 

^^Why did he call it Fort Pelham?” asked 
Dinah. 

^^In honor of Lord Henry Pelham of Eng- 
land, brother of the Duke of Newcastle, who is 
now First Lord of the Treasury,” said Captain 
Rice. ^^Fort Pelham is not built like Fort 
Shirley. It is a stockade.” 

'^How is it built?” asked Aaron, especially 
interested, as he had helped begin the work. 

The soldiers dug a trench a foot deep or so 
around the four sides, enclosing about an acre 
and a half of land there on the hillside looking 
down on Pelham Brook.” 

^^Yes, I remember the lay of the land,” said 
Aaron. 

“They Ve set posts down closely side by side 
in this trench, spiking them tightly together, 
then throwing the earth back around the posts, 
so they have a stout, high palisade, that it will 

^ In Rowe, Mass. 


216 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


bother the Indians not a httle to get over. 
There is only one entrance, on the north side. 
They are busy now digging a well in the centre 
of the parade ground; expected to strike water 
to-day.” 

“HavenT they built any houses?” asked 
Mrs. Rice. 

‘^Oh, yes, I forgot to mention those. They 
have built several little houses against the 
inside walls of the stockade with salt-box roofs, 
enough to accommodate the garrison. They 
hope to have twenty men stationed there within 
a month.” 

“I am so glad you rode up there to bring 
back such good news,” said Mrs. Rice. 

As the summer went on the Rices had con- 
siderable communication with Fort Pelham. 
Soldiers and messengers going to or from Deer- 
field with supplies for the fort usually stopped 
over night at Captain Rice^s. 

One day late in June, Lieut. John Catlin, 
escorted by several soldiers, appeared at the 
captain^s, having come down from Fort Shirley 
by way of Fort Pelham. 

^^Any news at the forts. Lieutenant?” was 
Captain Rice^s first question. 

'^Big news,” said Catlin. ^^We are going to 
have a new commander of the line of forts.” 


GOOD NEWS. 217 

‘^Why, what has become of Capt. William 
Williams? asked the captain in surprise. 

^^He has gone off in the expedition to Cape 
Breton. It is no secret now that Governor 
Shirley is trying to take Louisburg.’^ 

^^No. I have heard about it by way of 
Deerfield,” said the captain. 

Captain Williams enlisted seventy-four men 
in six days’ time, and marched off with them to 
Boston. The governor has given him a lieu- 
tenant-colonel’s commission, and he will sail for 
Louisburg forthwith.” 

Captain Williams will do good work wher- 
ever he goes. But who succeeds him as com- 
mander of the line of forts?” 

“ His second cousin, Capt. Ephraim Williams. 
I understand that Major Israel Williams of Hat- 
field puts him forward.” 

hope he will make good the place of his 
cousin, Capt. William Williams,” said Captain 
Rice. 

^‘He promises well. He is a young man, 
barely thirty-one. Those who know him say 
he is both brave and energetic. He comes of 
the best stock, the old Williams family. But 
there is other news that will interest you even 
more, perhaps. Another fort is to be built 
soon, over to the west of you.” 


218 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Where? asked Rice eagerly. 

'^Over Hoosac Mountain, on Hoosac River.^^ 
seems a strange place to locate a fort, 
way off there, over that great mountain, in the 
wilderness,’^ said Rice. 

Capt. William Williams planned it. He 
thinks that a fort there will intercept the old 
Mohawk trail running from Hoosac Mountain, 
down the Cold River, to Deerfield River. The 
Indians have travelled that trail no one knows 
how long, but long before we English ever came 
here. The fort is to be built to command the 
ford where the old trail crosses Hoosac River, 
and it will serve another good purpose. It will 
show the Dutch in New York province that they 
can no longer encroach on our western bound- 
ary; that Massachusetts province is determined 
stoutly to hold and defend her own territory.” 

“That is true,” said Rice. 

“We are now going to work on the trail up 
Cold River and over the mountain, to try and 
make it passable for horses,” said Lieutenant 
Catlin. “ No doubt you will see all you want 
to of us. Captain, during the summer, while this 
work is going on.” 

“ Our latchstring is always out, especially for 
those working in our defence,” said Captain 
Rice heartily. 


GOOD NEWS. 


219 


That evening he was glad to discuss with 
Lieutenant Gatlin the siege of Louisburg. All 
New England now knew this to be the object 
of Governor Shirley’s secret expedition, which 
had sailed from Boston in April. It was the 
one engrossing topic everywhere. 

What do you think about the siege of Louis- 
burg, Lieutenant?” asked the captain as they 
sat out under the buttonball tree enjoying, 
after a very warm day, the cool evening breeze 
and sweet air. Tamar and Artemas were amusing 
themselves catching fireflies. The rest were glad 
to listen to the talk. 

It seems to me our men have undertaken a 
big job, too big in fact,” continued the cap- 
tain. “Louisburg has always been considered 
the strongest fortress on this side the Atlantic. 
I feel rather blue about the outlook, I confess. I 
hope Governor Shirley has not made a mistake.” 

“The governor knows pretty well what he is 
undertaking, I guess,” said Gatlin. “Perhaps 
you know that our men and officers, captured 
at Ganso, were held captive at Louisburg all 
summer, then sent down to Boston on parole 
last fall. It is supposed to be information 
about the state of the garrison, etc., at Louis- 
burg given the governor by these captives 
which put him on this attempt,” 


220 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^That alters the case,” said Rice. 

^^Capt. Ephraim Williams stopped in North- 
ampton on his way to Fort Shirley,” continued 
Gatlin, ^^and he says that most hopeful news 
has recently been received there, greatly rejoic- 
ing the town. All Northampton is engaged 
with much concern for this expedition. Special 
prayer meetings are held there weekly that 
Providence may order the affair successfully.” 

most excellent plan,” said Rice. ^^But 
what is this latest news?” 

Major Seth Pomeroy of Northampton is out 
on this expedition, as you may have heard.” 

Yes, and a fine man for it too.” 

^^His wife has lately received a letter from 
him, saying that the expedition landed at Louis- 
burg the first of May. They found the harbor 
defended, not only by the stone fortress, but 
by a royal battery on the shore, having a moat 
and bastions, and also by another battery situ- 
ated on an island. But our men were not dis- 
mayed. No sooner did their vessels come in 
sight of the city than they let down their 
whaleboats, manned by some of our bold fish- 
ermen from Marblehead, and rushed ashore. 
The French soldiers who came down to prevent 
their landing were put to flight, driven back 
into the woods.” 


GOOD NEWS. 


221 


‘^Good! You don^t say soT^ exclaimed the 
captain, while the boys^ eyes shone at hearing 
the valor of their countrymen, and Artemas let 
the fireflies go unmolested, absorbed in Lieu- 
tenant Gatlin’s story. 

Pomeroy wrote that the next day four hun- 
dred of our men under William Vaughan, a 
New Hampshire volunteer, marched by the 
city, giving three rousing cheers as they passed, 
and posted themselves near the northeast har- 
bor. The French in the royal battery were 
panic-stricken at this, and abandoned it that 
very night, first being careful to spike all their 
cannon to spoil them for our use.” 

A shame!” said the captain. 

^^Oh, that did n’t do them much good! The 
next morning boats filled with French soldiers 
came down from the city to recover the battery, 
but Vaughan and thirteen of his men withstood 
them on the beach, and kept them from landing 
until Pepperell was able to send reinforcements. 
So our men still held that royal battery at 
last accounts. It had thirty large cannon, and 
Major Seth Pomeroy, who, as you know, is a 
gunsmith by trade — ” 

Yes, yes,” said the eager captain. 

— was put in charge of twenty smiths, who 
came forward from among the volunteers, to 


222 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


drill out the cannon, so that soon our men were 
able to turn those thirty French cannon against 
the city and the battery on the island, answering 
their fire royally. 

Grand, grand I exclaimed the captain, rub- 
bing his hands with delight. ^^The best news 
IVe heard in a long time. If our men go on 
like this, theydl soon make mince meat of those 
Frenchmen. 

Well, I don^t know about that. Major Pom- 
eroy writes that Louisburg is a strong place, 
appears indeed impregnable, and it looks to 
him as if the campaign would be a long one. 
But he says he is willing to stay until God’s 
time comes to deliver the city into our hands.” 

^^He is right. The matter is at the disposal 
of a Mightier Power than ours,” said the 
captain reverently. “But I am overjoyed to 
hear this glorious news you bring. It looks as 
if the French would have enough to do at home, 
without raiding on us. But it is time for prayers 
and to bed if, as I suppose, you and your men 
will want to make an early start to-morrow 
morning.” 

“Yes, we must be off at crack of day.” 


CHAPTER XIV. 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 

D uring the following month Lieutenant 
Catlin and his men occasionally came back 
over the mountain to Captain Rice^s for supplies 
as they worked on the trail, and the Rices kept 
in close touch with the work so interesting to 
them, upon which they felt their future safety 
largely depended. 

It seemed then, as it seems now, a most heroic 
undertaking for a small body of men to venture 
into the unbroken wilderness many miles, over 
a high mountain, through a country even at 
this day wild and picturesque in the extreme, 
through a forest alive with fierce wild beasts, 
to erect a fort in a spot so remote and almost 
inaccessible. The site selected for the fort was 
thirty-six miles from Deerfield, with Hoosac 
Mountain lying between it, and Captain Rice^s, 
fourteen miles away, the only house or little 
spot of civilization between the fort and Deer- 
field, its base of supplies. 

But; undismayed; the little party worked on; 


224 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


and at last camped in the woods on the western 
side of Hoosac IMountain, in the meadows on 
the banks of Hoosac River, under the shadow 
of the great mountains rising grandly all around. 
About the middle of July, 1746, they began 
cutting down the huge primeval trees covering 
the spot selected for the fort. Lieutenant 
Gatlin felt himself fortunate to be able to 
command the services of John Perry, a carpen- 
ter from Falltown, who had aided in building 
Fort Shirley. 

One day, towards the last of July, Captain 
Rice said to his sons : 

To-morrow, boys, if the weather is good, 
you must ride to Deerfield for provisions. It 
is some time since Catlings men have been 
over for supplies, and they are sure to be here 
before long. Capt. Elijah Williams is commis- 
sary for all the forts, and you must go to his 
store.” 

wish you would let me go too, father,” 
said Artemas. ^H^m eleven years old now. I 
can manage a horse just as well as Sylvanus. 
CanT I go, father?” 

^'Artemas!” exclaimed his mother. ^^Are 
you crazy to think of such a thing?” 

^^You do well for your age, my son,” said 
his father, ^^but it would not be best for you to 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 


225 


take this trip. But this afternoon, if you work 
, smartly hoeing this morning, you and I will go 
out hunting.^^ 

^^Good!” said Artemas, his disappointed face 
brightening at once. '' I 'll hoe like — a beaver. 
Can I take your other gun, Aaron?" 

“Yes, if father will be responsible for it and 
you." 

“As if I did n't know how to handle a gun!" 
exclaimed Artemas. 

Mrs. Rice suffered untold agonies that after- 
noon when she saw the small Artemas proudly 
marching off for the woods at his father's heels, 
a loaded gun as long as himself over his shoulder. 
Sighing heavily, she said to Dinah : 

“His father says he must learn to use a gun 
and hunt, and I suppose he must. I only hope 
he will not shoot himself or some one else while 
he is learning." 

When the hunters returned at night bringing 
a deerskin and a load of venison, and Artemas, 
almost too proud to be approached, with a 
large wild turkey dangling by its legs from his 
gunstock, a turkey he himself had brought 
down, Mrs. Rice was more resigned. Captain 
Rice did not mention that as Artemas was 
climbing over a log in the rear of his father, 
carelessly holding his gun with the muzzle 

15 


226 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


pointing forward, it accidentally went off, the 
bullet grazing his father^s ear. Captain Rice 
then and there emphatically expounded the 
law of gun-carrying in the woods, and Artemas 
learned one lesson in woodcraft that he never 
forgot. 

The next day after the departure of the young 
men for Deerfield, towards night, Tamar sat 
out under the buttonball tree with the sheet 
she was turning, that she might be the first to 
see their approach. As the sun sank low over 
the western hills she saw the heavily laden 
horses coming in sight, and called to Dinah, 
sitting at the front window: 

^^Here they come at last, Dinah.’’ 

Both girls ran down to meet their brothers 
and uncle, closely followed by Artemas and 
Bose, the dog barking loudly from joy and 
excitement. Mrs. Rice came out, and the 
captain, busy in the meadow below the house, 
hastened up to greet the boys and hear what 
tidings they had brought. 

Hurrah! Hurrah!” cried Sylvanus, waving 
his cap above his head, as they rode near. 
‘^Hurrah, father! Louisburg is taken!” 

^^You don’t mean it!” cried the captain. 
^^When? How? Tell us all about it.” 

^Ht was the first thing we heard when we 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 


227 


reached Deerfield. All the men were gath- 
ered at Captain Williams’s store talking it 
over.” 

''The fort surrendered the 17th of June; 
fort, batteries, city, and all,” burst in Aaron, 
anxious to tell part of this great news. 

"The news didn’t reach Boston till the 3d of 
July,” resumed Sylvanus, as Aaron stopped to 
take breath. " All the bells in town were 
rung.” 

"The people nearly went wild with joy,” 
said Titus. 

"No wonder,” said the captain. "Thank the 
Lord!” 

" Captain Williams sent you up a late number 
of the News Letter, giving all the particulars,” 
said Aaron. 

"This is indeed great and glorious news,” 
said the captain. "Where is the News Letter 

Seating himself on the doorsteps, the captain 
plunged eagerly into the paper, his head buried 
in its folds, while the boys were unloading, and 
passing over letters and various parcels to their 
mother and the girls of absorbing interest to 
them. 

"Listen to this, mother,” said the captain, 
presently reading aloud. "'From a letter writ- 
ten home by one of our officers. " God has gone 


228 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


out of the way of his common providence in a 
remarkable and almost miraculous manner, to 
incline the hearts of the French to give up and 
deliver this strong city into our hands/’ 

^^How true that is!” said Mrs. Rice. ^^Do 
you think this will hasten the end of the war, 
Moses?” 

^^Well, I don’t know. I should suppose it 
must, but I see another writer in this paper 
takes a gloomy view; thinks the French will 
put forth greater efforts than ever to regain 
Louisburg and to press the war home to us in 
this country.” 

I am all the more glad the new fort is being 
built. That will certainly help protect us here.” 

“It will be a strong defence to us,” said the 
captain. 

But the boys brought other news from Deer- 
field not so gratifying, which Aaron told his 
father later that evening when they were out 
at the barm 

“We heard some sorrowful news, father,” 
said Aaron. “ The Indian troubles are beginning 
again. They’ve had word at Deerfield that, 
on July 5, young William Phipps was slain 
by them, up at Great Meadow. You know I 
met Phipps when I was out on my scout. We 
had much kindness from him and his young 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 229 

wife. Poor girl, I pity her and her two little 
ones!” 

“ I am very sorry to hear this,” said the cap- 
tain. ^^How did it happen?” 

Phipps was hoeing out in his cornfield, not 
far from the fort, when suddenly two Indians 
came upon him and dragged him off about half 
a mile into the woods. Phipps was a young 
fellow full of pluck; you could see that to look 
at him. He made a brave struggle for life and 
almost escaped. One of the Indians went back 
for something he had dropped. Phipps saw his 
chance, and fell upon the other Indian with his 
hoe, disabling him. Then, seizing that Indian’s 
gun, he shot the other Indian as he came back, 
and started on a run for the fort. But un- 
luckily on the way he met three more Indians 
of the same band, who caught poor Phipps, 
killed and scalped him.” 

^^Too bad, too bad,” said the captain, with 
troubled face. ^^Such a gallant young life lost 
in its prime! I am most sorry to hear this.” 

little later,” continued Aaron, “a band 
of Indians, supposed to be the same party, cap- 
tured Deacon Josiah Fisher at Upper Ashuelot 
as he was driving his cows to pasture, killing 
and scalping him.” 

This shows the need of always being on our 


230 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


guard. Did you hear what action the govern- 
ment has taken? 

Capt. Ebenezer Alexander of Northfield has 
lately returned from serving in the army at 
Louisburg. Since his return he has enlisted a 
company of fifty-six volunteers in this county, 
to be subject to the government's call. He and 
his company have been ordered out, and are to 
be kept on duty constantly, scouting in the 
woods, and guarding the most exposed places 
to the north.” 

am glad you did not tell the women this 
bad news,” said the captain. 

^^We agreed, coming home,” said Aaron, ^^to 
say nothing about this before the women.” 

Not long after this the Rices were much sur- 
prised to see a small herd of strange cattle com- 
ing up the path towards their house. Riding be- 
hind them were Ebenezer Arms, his young cousin, 
Phineas Arms, and Salah Barnard of Deerfield. 

The Rices knew most of the Deerfield people, 
indeed considered themselves as belonging to 
that town, where they were obliged to go both 
to mill and to meeting, and so were glad to see 
these friends. The cattle were driven into the 
stockade for the night, while the young men 
took their seats at the supper table. Mrs. Rice 
was now well aware that she must always be 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 23l 

prepared for sudden arrivals, and the supper 
was ample and satisfying. 

“ Of course you are bound for the new fort,’^ 
said Captain Rice. 

^^Yes, we are driving up these beef creatures 
for Col. Israel Williams. He is sending them 
up to help provision the fort,” said Arms. 

A pretty tough job you have in hand,” said 
the captain. 

^^We have not had much trouble so far,” 
said Arms. ^^But I expect we shall need more 
help for the rest of the way. As I have never 
been over this trail, I hoped you would let one 
of your sons go along to help us.” 

know the trail, father,” said Sylvanus 
eagerly. went far up on the mountain, 
you know, with Lieutenant Catlin last June. 
Can I go?” 

Why yes, if you are needed, I am willing.” 

So it was settled, to Sylvanus^s joy and his 
mother^s manifest uneasiness, that he was to 
start off with the Deerfield men early the next 
morning. 

In the cool, pleasant dawn of the summer 
morning the party started. Under Sylvanus's 
lead, they followed up the Deerfield River for 
about four miles, then forded the stream a 
little below the mouth of Cold River. 


232 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“ We turn off here and follow this other 
stream up into the hills/ ^ said Sylvanus^ slip- 
ping down from his horse, to aid the others in 
heading the cattle in the right direction. 

“So this is Cold River/’ said Arms. “It is 
a wild stream/’ he added, looking at the river, 
whose clear waters brawled noisily and swiftly 
down over the great stones filling its bed, — stones 
washed down from the mountain-sides above in 
bygone storms and freshets. 

“Cold River’s a lively stream, and so you 
will think when you come to ford it, as we 
must soon,” said Sylvanus. 

True to his prediction, the high hills soon 
came so close to the bed of the stream that the 
trail was forced to cross to the opposite shore. 
The cattle, urged from behind, plunged in and 
struggled through the swift, rushing waters, one 
steer stumbling on a big stone and falling, but 
quickly struggling to its feet again, and plung- 
ing on, scrambled up the steep farther bank 
to join its fellows. 

“Not very sure footing for horses in there,” 
said Arms, hesitating and looking dubiously on 
the rushing current. 

“The only way is to manage as Lieutenant 
Catlin did,” said Sylvanus. “He only let his 
horse take one step, then made her stop. Then 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 


233 


another step, then stop. By this means his 
horse did n’t lose its head and get frightened. 
Like this.” 

Sylvanus started White Dolly into the stream. 
As she began to plunge among the stones he 
said, ^^Whoa, Dolly,” patting her neck reas- 
suringly. Then shaking the reins, “Get up, 
Dolly,” and Dolly took another step, confident 
in her kind rider’s care. Another halt, another 
step or two, and soon Dolly was scrambling 
nervously up the bank after the cattle, that were 
improving the halt to graze on the wild grass 
growing rankly among the ferns and bushes 
beside the trail. The others followed SyL 
vanus’s example, and crossed the ford in 
safety. 

Salah Barnard looked up at the steep moun- 
tain walls rising high, almost perpendicularly, 
each side of them, clothed with forest, largely 
of evergreen trees. High up above the moun- 
tain summits was the blue summer sky with 
white clouds floating over, and down below, as 
the trail ascended, he saw Cold River rushing 
along at the bottom of the narrow cleft it 
seemed to have worn between the mountains. 

“It looks, Sylvanus, as if we were walled in, 
could not get out,” he said. 

“The trail runs along on the side of the 


/ 234 BOYS OF THE BORDER. 

mountain until we reach the summit. It is 
the old Indian trail. Here^s Indian Spring 
now, the place where the Indians were wont to 
camp in the old days. Do you see that tree 
trunk there, all scarred with arrow marks? 
They used it for a target.” 

Indian Spring’s clear waters tempted the men 
to stop and drink. Phineas Arms, rambling 
about the little opening in the woods while they 
halted, said, as he stooped to pick up some- 
thing : 

Here ’s an Indian tomahawk. Perhaps there 
are Indians around.” 

All examined the tomahawk closely. 

^Ht’s a bit rusty. I think it is an old one; 
has lain here some time,” said Ebenezer Arms. 
^^But, all the same, I am glad we shall make 
the fort to-night.” 

As the trail mounted higher it became like a 
narrow shelf trodden into the steep mountain- 
side. Far, far below ran the waters of Cold 
River in their narrow gorge, and strange moun- 
tain tops began to peer up all around, some 
close by, some blue in the distance. 

Here an accident befell the party. One of 
the steers lost his footing in the narrow, rocky 
path, and slid off, rolling over and over down 
the steep mountain-side, life dashed out of his 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 235 

body ere it rested at last against a tree root at 
bottom of the ravine, far below. 

warning to us all,^^ said Arms. ^^Keep 
your eye on your horses^ footing, boys, and a 
tight hand on the bridle. 

At last they reached the summit.' The rocky 
path went on, up and down hill through un- 
broken woods for two or three miles, until late 
in the afternoon, when the riders came out on 
a bare, rocky projection, where only a few 
straggling pines, their roots forcing their way 
into crevices, hung trembling over the preci- 
pice below. 

Sylvanus, who was ahead, halted. 

There is where the fort is, over there, he 
said, pointing west. ^^DonT you see a break 
in the woods over in that hollow, at the foot 
of yonder great hill?” 

^‘Yes, and I believe I see smoke rising,” said 
Arms, shading his eyes from the afternoon 
sun, which shone directly in his face. 

^'That is from the new fort then,” said 
Sylvanus. 

'^What an isolated place to plant a fort!” 
exclaimed Arms. 'Tve heard about it, but 
I never fully realized the situation until now.” 

Down below them the men saw a deep valley, 

1 In Florida, Mass. 


236 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


SO surrounded on all sides by high mountain 
ranges and peaks that it seemed almost like a 
hollow green cup sunk down among the hills. 
The fort was located at the bottom of this cup. 
Around it towered the Greylock and Taconic 
ranges, the Housatonic and Green Mountains, 
with Hoosac Mountain to the east. Primeval 
forest covered densely hill and valley as far as 
the eye could reach, save for the slight break 
made by the little clearing around the fort. 

^^It is time we were pushing on, if we would 
reach the fort before nightfall,’^ said Ajms, 
after a short halt. 

The trail zigzagged down the steep western 
side of the mountain, reaching the valley below 
at last. 

Following a branch of the Hoosac River, 
they soon struck the main stream, and ere 
long came to the spot where the trail crossed 
the Hoosac at a shallow ford. 

^^This is the old Indian ford,^’ said Sylvanus. 

There ^s the fort now. It was placed there 
to command the trail and this ford.’^ 

Night was falling as they rode slowly on their 
tired horses through the meadow set thickly 
with tree stumps to the spot where the walls 
of the new fort were rising, it being about half 
built. The great mountains loomed, vast and 


THE COLD RIVER TRAIL. 


237 


grand, around the little clearing, and the soli- 
tude, the silence and wildness so impressed 
Salah Barnard that he said in low tone to 
Sylvanus : 

lonely, fearsome place. I can but be 
glad that we tarry here only one night.^^ 


CHAPTER XV. 


AT FORT MASSACHUSETTS. 

L ieutenant CATLIN and his men re- 
ceived the new arrivals with a delight only 
possible to those far from home, in such lonely 
and dangerous surroundings, glad of all the 
news, the letters and papers they brought. 

When Ebenezer Arms told Gatlin of the killing 
of Phipps and Foster by the Indians, Catlin said : 
We had the news only yesterday.’’ 
Yesterday!” exclaimed Arms. “How was 
that possible? We met no one on the trail.” 

“We had it from a strange source,” replied 
Catlin. “An Indian from Crown Point came 
in here yesterday. You know the French stole 
a march on our government. They slipped up 
the lake and clapped up a fort at Crown Point, 
which they call St. Frederick, thus securing the 
control of Lake Champlain. We have heard 
that there are many Caghnawagas there. I 
strongly suspect that this Indian was sent by 
the French to spy out our new fort, though he 
pretended that he was out hunting, and had 


AT FORT MASSACHUSETTS. 239 

come on us by chance, not knowing that a fort 
was building here.^’ 

“ A lie, of course. He was no doubt a French 
spy,^’ said Arms. 

^^He told us all about this affair at Great 
Meadow, and said that one of the skulks that 
killed Phipps received his death wound in the 
struggle, and died soon after reaching Fort 
Frederick.” 

Served him right,” said Arms. must 

say. Lieutenant, I am much struck with your 
hazardous situation. Here you are, far from 
any possible reinforcements, out full front to 
the French and Indians, and pretty near the 
Dutch too. I suppose our government built 
this fort here partly to defend this part of our 
province from the encroachments of the Dutch.” 

^^No doubt,” said Gatlin. ^^It is to be called 
Fort Massachusetts, as if to let the New York 
Dutch know that this is our boundary. It is 
quite time something was done, for the Albany 
Dutch are creeping up the Hoosac this way, 
nearer and nearer. IVe had some dealings 
with one Van Ness, who lives down below us 
on the Hoosac, at the junction of the Wal- 
loomsac.” 

^^Do you think it right or safe to encourage 
them in that manner?” 


240 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


have little choice. The care of the work 
at the fort here, and getting the provisions and 
stores needed, is hard work, really more than 
one man can do. The Dutch are eager to trade 
with me, offer me favorable terms; and I find 
it far easier to deal with them than to go over 
the mountain to Deerfield.” 

“That trip over Hoosac Mountain is no easy 
thing, as I can testify,” said Arms. 

“We are all well, so far, thank God, and in 
good spirits,” added Gatlin. “ I send out scouts 
every day, even as far as to Pontoosuc, but as 
yet have made no discovery of the enemy. 
But I shall keep up the scouting daily, winter 
and summer.” 

“ It is our only safeguard,” said Arms. 

Arms and his party retraced their steps over 
Hoosac Mountain the following day, reaching 
Captain Rice^s without special adventure, save 
the killing of a fat bear on the Cold River trail. 
Sylvanus now had stories to tell as well as Aaron, 
details of Fort Massachusetts and the doings 
there, full of interest to the Rices. 

The rest of the summer passed away quietly, 
with no attacks from the enemy, although not 
without much anxiety and watchfulness at all 
the outlying forts and little settlements. Con- 
stant scouting was kept up. 


At fort MASSACHUSETTS. 24l 

Captain Rice^s house was so frequently visited 
by soldiers and scouts, going to and fro , from 
Forts Shirley and Pelham to Fort Massachu- 
setts and back, that the family lost their earlier 
sense of loneliness and seclusion, and felt much 
more secure than formerly. 

About the middle of October, however, this 
sense of security was rudely shaken by news 
brought in by John Perry who, with an escort 
of soldiers, had been down to Deerfield for 
carpenters’ supplies needed at Fort Massachu- 
setts. 

“Bad news, Captain,” said Perry. “The In- 
dians are on the warpath again. The Deer- 
field people were much excited last week Satur- 
day afternoon when a man rode in from the 
north, bringing word that the Indians had 
appeared that morning at Great Meadow, slay- 
ing David Rugg, a Deerfield man, and capturing 
and carrying off Nehemiah Howe.” 

“Nehemiah Howe! What a pity! I remem- 
ber him well,” said Aaron. 

“How did it happen?” asked Captain Rice. 
“Were the people careless, off guard?” 

“No Indians had been seen around there for 
a long time, and Howe thought he was perfectly 
safe. He only went out to cut some wood, 
about forty rods from the fort, in plain view of 
16 


242 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


the sentry stationed up in the mount. The 
sentry told Deacon Wright that the first he saw, 
Howe was running for his life toward the fort, 
chased by eight naked Indians. They gained 
on Howe, who, seeing that they would catch 
him, stopped and threw up his hands in sign of 
surrender, and three savages at once seized him. 
The sentry and others fired from the fort, 
killing one of his captors, mortally wounding 
another, and sending a bullet through the 
powder horn of the third Indian. But it was 
useless. More Indians swarmed out of the 
woods, and they bore poor Howe' away.’’ 

This disaster alarmed the whole province. 
Small bodies of soldiers were posted at all the 
forts. Major Edward Hartwell and his company 
of soldiers were sent to garrison Northfield 
through the winter, and the government sent 
three hundred pairs of snowshoes to Hampshire 
County^ for the use of the scouts, who were 
constantly kept out. 

Early in December, one snowy day, Tamar, 
peering out the eastern window through the 
white flakes flying in a wild whirl through the 
air, said: 

1 Nehemiah Howe was never redeemed, but died at Quebec, May 
25 , 1747 . 

2 Hampshire County, at this time, included all of Massachusetts 
west of the Connecticut. 


AT FORT MASSACHUSETTS. 243 

“ Mother, I really believe some one is coming. 
I am sure I see something moving down, the 
path, through the snow.” 

All the family hastened to look out. Through 
the driving mist of snowflakes gradually ap- 
peared the forms of several men, shaggy white 
with snow, slowly toiling along on snowshoes. 

“Well, I must say I didnT expect any one 
from outside to-day, of all days,” said Mrs. 
Rice. “I have plenty of salt pork and bear 
meat on hand, that^s one comfort. I wonder 
who they can be!” 

As the men came up on the steps, stamping 
and brushing off the snow and loosening their 
snowshoe thongs, they proved to be old ac- 
quaintance, Sergt. John Hawks from Deer- 
field, with his two nephews, Gershom and 
Eleazer Hawks, Joseph Petty, Zebulon Allen, 
and several other young men from Deerfield 
and Falltown. 

“Well, Mrs. Rice,” said Hawks, “you see 
you are never safe from invasions, even in such 
a storm as this. The enemy may be upon you 
at any moment, ready to eat you out of house 
and home.” 

“We are always glad to see any one from 
Deerfield, or any of our brave defenders,” said 
Mrs. Rice cordially. 


244 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


And we are glad enough to make this com- 
fortable port in such a storm,” said Hawks. 
^^We will stay here until it abates if you can 
accommodate us, as it would be sheer rashness 
to venture over the Cold River trail in such a 
storm.” 

“It would be almost certain death,” said 
Captain Rice, who had come in from the corn- 
house on seeing the arrival. “ What takes you 
to Fort Massachusetts at this season of the 
year?” 

“We go up to help garrison it through the 
winter. Capt. Ephraim Williams plans to keep 
about fifty men there. A part will be out all 
the time scouting, while part must always be 
on hand to guard the fort against possible sur- 
prise.” 

“A wise precaution, though I hardly think 
the enemy will be around before spring.” 

“Nor do I,” said Hawks. “But we must 
remember the assault on Deerfield in February, 
1704, when every one felt safe because it was 
winter.” 

Sergt. John Hawks was now to take charge of 
Fort Massachusetts, under Capt. Ephraim Wil- 
liams, who was commander of the whole line of 
forts along the northwest border. Sergeant 
Hawks was a man in whose courage and ability 


AT FORT MASSACHUSETTS. 


245 


much confidence was felt. Like many men of 
those troubled times, he had grown up in an 
atmosphere of war, and been engaged in mih- 
tary service much of his life. He came of war- 
hke stock. His father and his uncle John were 
soldiers in the fight of Turners Falls, and his 
uncle distinguished himself at the attack on 
Hatfield during King Philipps War.' 

Sergeant Hawks was over six feet tall, spare 
yet muscular, full of vigor, with dark com- 
plexion and heavy eyebrows turning slightly 
upwards, giving his face a somewhat fierce ex- 
pression when he was excited, and many tradi- 
tions were current of his daring. 

His whole appearance and bearing were such 
as to inspire confidence in his friends and fear 
in his foes. He was a man of indomitable 
energy, of much practical ability and resource, 
and also of deep and sincere piety; and Captain 
Rice felt that Captain Williams had chosen 
wisely in appointing him to take charge of the 
exposed and important post at Fort Massachu- 
setts. As they talked that evening he asked : 

What do you feel. Sergeant, is our outlook 
for next summer? Do you not think the 
French will attempt to make reprisals on us 
for the capture of Louisburg?” 

^ See Young Puritans in Captivity,” page 24. 


246 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^That is the general feeling/’ said Hawks; 
and our government is preparing for them all 
along the line.” 

While the elders talked thus in the living- 
room, the young people gathered around the 
kitchen fireplace, visiting, and watching Arte- 
mas, who was popping corn in the warming-pan. 
As Gershom Hawks patted the head of Bose, 
he asked: 

'^What has become of your pet coon, Arte- 
mas? Tumbler, I think you called him.” 

“I don’t know. He went off last summer,” 
said Artemas. 

Tumbler became a great nuisance at last,” 
said Sylvanus. ^‘He was perfectly tame, and 
ran all over the house, having outgrown his pen, 
and making his home up in the buttonball tree. 
He was a little thief. He had a way of finding 
the sugar box, and dipping his paw into it, that 
mother did not altogether enjoy. But when, 
night after night, some of our best spring 
chickens disappeared, and feathers and bones 
were found suspiciously near the foot of Tum- 
bler’s tree, why, soon after that Tumbler dis- 
appeared for good.” 

^'Oh, I see!” said Gershom, exchanging signifi- 
cant glances with Sylvanus, while Artemas shook 
his warming-pan over the coals, unconscious. 


AT FORT MASSACHUSETTS. 247 

All through that long, severe winter, garri- 
sons of men lived at Forts Shirley, Pelham, and 
Massachusetts, remote on their hills in the 
woods, keeping up constant scouting between 
the forts and over the adjacent country. 

Capt. Ephraim Williams, a man who had 
grown up and been educated in Newton, Mass., 
who for a number of years when young had 
followed the sea, making several voyages to 
Europe, visiting England, Spain, and Holland, a 
man thirty-one years old, in the prime of life, 
fond of books and social intercourse, passed the 
long, cold winter on the windy hill top in the 
forest at Fort Shirley, looking after the well- 
being of the three hundred and fifty men under 
his conunand in the line of border forts. 

Perchance, on some wild night, when the 
storm blew roughly around the isolated fort, 
and the wind howled drearily down the stone 
chimney as he sat by the rude fireplace, into 
the mind of this young man came the thought 
of that benefaction which has meant so much 
to many young men in later years. Great 
thoughts are often born of solitude, silence, 
loneliness. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


WAR IN EARNEST. 

T he new year, 1746, opened peacefully to 
all seeming. Yet it was a year destined 
before its close to be fraught with momentous 
consequences to many persons. 

Soon after the ground was bare in the spring, 
the Rices had an unusual excitement in the 
arrival of a large party on horseback which in- 
cluded several women and children, the first 
women (except those of the Rice family) who 
had ever appeared in Charlemont, as Boston 
Township No. 1 was now called. 

One family was that of John Smead. John 
Smead belonged to the old Smead family of 
Deerfield. With four other young men, Smead 
had begun a settlement in 1735 on the Pequayag 
River at the place now called Athol, but when 
the war broke out, and the call came for men 
to garrison the forts, had enlisted and served 
until recently at Fort Shirley. Now he was 
going to Fort Massachusetts, taking his whole 
family with him. 


WAR IN EARNEST. 


249 


His two stalwart young sons, John, Jr., aged 
twenty, and Daniel, aged nineteen, had also 
enlisted as soldiers at Fort Massachusetts. 
With Smead were his wife, two boys, Reuben 
and Simon, aged eleven and nine, and Mary, a 
little girl of six. 

Moses Scott of Falltown was taking with him 
to the fort his wife, Miriam, and their two little 
boys, Ebenezer and Moses. Rebecca, wife of 
John Perry, was also of the party, on her way 
to join her husband at Fort Massachusetts. 

As this company and their escorts alighted 
from their horses under the buttonball tree, 
Mrs. Rice and her daughters hastened to wel- 
come the women, who, though strong and vig- 
orous, as they needed to be to undertake such a 
journey, were lame and tired after the weary 
jolting up hill from Deerfield. 

^‘Is it possible,’^ asked Mrs. Rice, ^Hhat you 
women are really going to venture over Hoosac 
Mountain to dwell at Fort Massachusetts, taking 
your children with you, and when every one 
thinks we are likely to have fighting ere long?^^ 

^‘It is hardly a matter of choice with us,” 
said Mrs. Smead. Where our husbands are, 
there is home and there is our place to be.” 

^^It is far better,” said Mrs. Scott, ‘Ho be 
with them, to know and share the worst; and 


250 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


perhaps be able to help them, than to be living 
back in the settlements, unable to hear from 
them perhaps for months, imagining the worst.” 

Yes, they might be dead and buried before 
we should even hear of it,” said Mrs. Perry. 

We can be of real use at the fort, in cooking, 
and nursing the sick,” said Mrs. Smead; ^^so 
we do not feel that we shall be mere cumberers 
of the ground.” 

“No one would imagine that for a moment 
who saw you,” said Mrs. Rice, looking with 
respect on these strong, resolute young women 
who were venturing on such hardships and 
exposure to share their husbands^ lot. “But 
it seems a httle hard to take young children 
there.” 

“ Oh, we want to go I” said little Simon Smead. 

“We are going to be soldiers ourselves just 
as soon as we are sixteen years old,” said 
Reuben. 

“Maybe father will let me fire off his gun,” 
added Simon. 

Mrs. Rice laughed at this warlike spirit of 
the youngsters, and took the women in to rest. 
The little boys began to scamper about, ex- 
ploring this new place, while the men were 
putting out the horses. 

“Boys, boys!” called Captain Rice after them. 


WAR IN EARNEST. 


251 


“ Don^t go far from the house. Don^t go up on 
the hill, towards the woods. You must keep 
near the house.” 

^^I'll keep an eye on them, father,” said 
Sylvanus, pleased to see so many children at 
their isolated home. 

That evening after supper, when all the 
tired children were fast asleep, Mrs. Smead 
told Mrs. Rice : 

I think we women were perhaps made 
braver to go over to Fort Massachusetts by the 
example of Mrs. Norton. Flave you heard that 
she has lately gone from her father’s home in 
Springfield out to Fort Shirley to join her 
husband, the Rev. John Norton? You doubt- 
less know that he has been appointed chaplain 
of the whole line of forts.” 

^^And we have a doctor too, now,” added 
Mrs. Perry. “Dr. Thomas Williams of Deer- 
field, brother of Capt. Ephraim Williams, has 
lately been appointed doctor and surgeon for 
all the forts along the border, with his head- 
quarters at Fort Shirley with his brother.” 

“We heard of these two appointments but 
recently,” said Mrs. Rice. “The captain is 
especially pleased to have a godly minister 
residing in this section, and I as delighted to 
have a good doctor near. We hope to entertain 


252 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


them often as they ride from fort to fort. Has 
Mrs. Norton joined her husband?’’ 

She has gone up to Fort Shirley, taking with 
her their four young children. She will make 
her home at Fort Shirley, it being her husband’s 
headquarters, though he will go from fort to 
fort in turn.” 

^^Mrs. Norton must be a very brave woman 
to venture up there to dwell, with her children, 
and no other woman within reach.” 

“You know Rev. John Norton was our 
minister at Falltown for a year or two,” said 
Mrs. Smead. “ His two youngest children were 
born there. So we know him and his wife well. 
And when we heard that Mrs. Norton had 
ventured out to Fort Shirley to live, we women 
felt moved to imitate her example and follow 
our husbands. So now we are on our way to 
Fort Massachusetts, which, God willing, we shall 
reach to-morrow night.” 

The next morning the company set out for 
the Cold River trail over Hoosac Mountain. 
The children rode on pillions behind their 
parents, or on the saddle in front. Their round, 
chubby faces were bright and smiling. They 
had enjoyed their stop at the friendly Rices’, 
and Mrs. Rice and the girls had added some 
tempting caraway-seed cookies and other 


WAR IN EARNEST, 


253 


goodies expressly for them to the luncheons 
their mothers carried. The sun shone cheer- 
fully, making green the bare, brown meadows, 
the birds were chirping and twittering, and the 
whole world, this bright spring morning, seemed 
full of life and hope. 

Good-bye, Tamar,” called little Mary. 

Come over to the fort some time and see me.” 

Maybe I can, some time when the boys are 
going over,” said Tamar. 

'^Oh, do you visit the fort, Sylvanus?” asked 
Reuben. “Then we shall see you again.” 

“I hope so. Pm sure,” said Sylvanus. 

Only a few days after this the Rices had 
news from Deerfield that Indian depredations 
were already beginning on the frontier. They 
heard that, on April 19, three men who were 
going out from No. 4 with a team of oxen to the 
gristmill, at some distance from the fort, were 
suddenly beset by a party of French and Indians 
under De Niverville. The oxen were killed, 
and the men carried off captive, among them 
being Stephen Farnsworth, one of the three 
first settlers who had ventured up to No. 4 from 
Lunenburg. The enemy had also burned both 
the grist and saw mills, a grievous loss to such 
a remote settlement. 

“Well, they are at work, it seems,” said 


254 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Captain Rice, when he heard this news. 
knew the French would endeavor to make 
reprisals this summer for the loss of Louisburg. 
This is only the beginning of troubles, I fear.^’ 

On learning of this attack on No. 4, the 
General Court at once raised several regiments 
of volunteers, sending one hundred and seventy- 
eight men to the western forts, in addition to 
nearly a hundred of the people of this section 
who had enlisted, dividing these men among 
the different forts. 

From every part of the western border now 
began to come tales of loss and disaster. April 
23, Upper Ashuelot was attacked and Nathan 
Blake taken captive. In early May attacks 
were made at No. 4, and again at the Ashuelots, 
and several persons slain or captured. Evi- 
dently many bands of French and Indians were 
out, determined if possible to destroy the 
border forts, thus laying open all the older 
settlements below to their ravages. 

When later in May, John Smead, Thomas 
Knowlton, and Benjamin Simonds from Fort 
Massachusetts stopped over night at the Rices^, 
on their way to Deerfield for supplies and to 
carry and get the mail, the captain hastened 
to tell them the direful news that every comer 
now brought in. 


WAR IN EARNEST. 


255 


^^The war is beginning to come near home/’ 
he said. ^^We have just heard that Falltown 
was attacked by the Indians on the 9th, and 
our friend, Capt. John Burk, wounded in re- 
pulsing them, which he did bravely, with a 
small force. And the very next day, over west 
in Colerain, Matthew Clarke with his wife and 
daughter were going to the fort, when a party 
of Indians fell upon them. The women were 
on horseback. Though wounded, the daughter 
carrying a bullet in her thigh, they managed 
to reach the fort. But Clarke, in trying to 
cover their retreat, was killed, and scalped of 
course. You may expect the enemy any day 
now at Fort Massachusetts.” 

^'They’ve come already,” said Smead. 

What do you mean?” asked Rice. 

^^On the 9th, the same day on which you 
say Falltown was attacked. Sergeant tiawks 
had a skirmish with two Indians just outside 
the fort.” 

The captain listened eagerly. 

“ Not a trace of Indians had we seen, though 
we kept up constant scouting. Sergeant Hawks 
went out with John Mighills, one of our men. 
As Mighills was on horseback, when they reached 
the ford in the Hoosac, Hawks got up behind 
Mighills to ride across the river. When they 


256 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


were well over, he placed his hand on MighilPs 
shoulder to dismount, and in so doing happened 
to swing Mighills a little to the left and himself 
to the right. At that instant two Indians, 
who were posted in ambush behind trees on the 
river bank, fired. This movement of Hawks 
just saved the two men’s lives, as the bullets 
passed between them. But one bullet hit 
Hawks’s elbow, causing him to turn faint and 
fall from the horse. Mighills ran his horse back 
to the fort, reporting that Hawks was slain. 
We were in a commotion then, you may believe, 
for Hawks is not only a brave man and our 
commander, but kind and pleasant, and we 
all hke him.” 

^^You don’t tell me that Sergeant Hawks 
was killed or captured?” asked the captain in 
dismay. 

Sergeant Hawks is not killed so easily as 
that,” spoke up Thomas Knowlton. 

^^No, indeed,” said Smead. “The Indians 
thought he was dead or disabled, and one of 
them rushed up to take his scalp. But Hawks 
had use for that article himself.” 

The captain could but smile at this, in spite 
of his anxiety. 

“Luckily he revived, and seeing the Indian 
coming with uplifted tomahawk, managed to 


War In earn^:st. 


257 


rest his gun on his wounded arm and keep both 
Indians at bay. You know how determined he 
can look. I guess the Indians saw that he 
meant business. One dodged behind a tree, 
the other down the river bank to hide. He 
kept them there three-quarters of an hour. 
Finally he thought he would shoot one Indian, 
first putting a ball in his mouth so he could 
quickly drop it into his gun barrel after pour- 
ing in the powder, then turn instantly and shoot 
the other Indian. He changed his position to 
get a good aim, when he saw both Indians run- 
ning away through the woods like hunted deer, 
in different directions. 

Good I Good I exclaimed the captain, rub- 
bing his hands. ^^That was truly a providen- 
tial deliverance.^^ 

party of us men in the fort rode sadly 
out to get Hawkses body to bury it,’^ said 
Simonds. “Imagine our joy when we met 
Hawks himself coming feebly along, leaning on 
his gun, but looking undaunted nevertheless.” 

As these rumors of Indian hostilities aU 
around them thickened. Captain Rice and his 
family began to feel some uneasiness in their 
exposed situation. But they were reassured 
when they learned that Governor Shirley had 
ordered over two hundred more soldiers to the 


17 


258 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


northwestern border; that many of these were 
to be posted at or near Northfield, one company, 
with fifty large dogs, to be kept out constantly 
ranging the woods. 

At about the same time Governor Shirley 
had issued a call for troops to invade Canada. 
A big fleet was expected from England, and the 
Colonial troops were to co-operate with this 
fleet in a determined effort to take Quebec 
and Montreal, and finally conquer Canada. 

Capt. Ephraim Williams had joined this army 
about to invade Canada, leaving Sergt. John 
Hawks in full command at Fort Massachusetts. 
This news was brought to the Rices by Salah 
Barnard and James Rider of Deerfield, who had 
been out to the fort on business, and stopped 
on their return. 

Sergeant Hawks is exactly the man for the 
place, said the captain. “His very name will 
help keep the Indians away from this section.^^ 

“I doubt that,’’ said Barnard, “for they had 
a little affair with the Indians just before we 
reached the fort.” 

“What, are Indians about again?” asked the 
captain, while his wife and daughters drew 
near to listen with painful interest. 

“It seems that Gershom Hawks and Elisha 
Nims, two of our Deerfield boys you know,” 


WAR IN EARNEST. 


259 


— the captain nodded his head, while the 
women listened more eagerly, knowing / these 
two young men so well, — ^^went out,” contin- 
ued Barnard, about sixty rods from the fort, 
on the meadow to the south, to hoe some 
com, which the soldiers had planted among 
the tree stumps. Benjamin Taintor took his 
gun and went with them as guard, though no 
Indians had been seen near the fort since 
Hawkses adventure with them. The boys, in 
hoeing, had gradually worked away from the 
fort down towards the river bank. All at once 
a band of Indians rose out of the bushes, 
wounded Gershom and killed Elisha Nims.” 

^^Poor fellow!” exclaimed Mrs. Rice, while 
the girls turned pale. 

^^The Indians had laid an ambush between 
the men and the fort, to cut off all possible 
retreat, and now these Indians in ambush rose 
to surround and capture Hawks and Taintor, 
when a rattling fire from the mount at the fort, 
where our sentry saw the fight, drove them off. 
But they succeeded in capturing Taintor and 
dragging him away. Elisha Nims had a bullet 
embedded in the back of his neck. He was 
buried there in the meadow, outside the fort.^ 

1 The rude stone, erected by the soldiers to Elisha Nims, is now 
in Clark Hall Museum at Williams College. 


260 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Sad news we have to carry home to Deerfield, 
to his father, Ebenezer Nims.’’ 

^^Ebenezer and his wife, too, have had such 
terrible suffering at the hands of the Indians, 
it is hard they must bear this added blow,’’ 
said the captain. 

‘^Is Gershom hkely to recover?” asked Dinah. 

“ ’T is hoped so, though he is badly wounded. 
Luckily there are women at the fort, and they 
are nursing him carefully, doing everything 
possible for him. Sergeant Hawks has asked 
us to send up a horse from Deerfield for him, 
with some one to take him home for treat- 
ment.” 

“The fire from the fort killed one Indian,” 
said Rider. “His body was found buried in 
the bank of the river, and some long, strong 
cords were also found, left behind by the 
Indians. ’Tis thought at the fort that they 
brought these from Canada ready to bind 
captives to take back with them.” 

“It is a mercy their plans were defeated,” 
said Captain Rice. 

A few days later Joseph Barnard of Deerfield 
went out to Fort Massachusetts, leading an 
extra horse for Gershom, who the next day 
came riding back, hardly able to sit up, pale 
and feeble, so sad a contrast to the vigorous 


WAR IN EARNEST. 


261 


young man they had known in the past as to 
bring vividly home to the Rices a sense of the 
horrors of war. Mrs. Rice cared for Gershom 
as if he had been her own son, her mother’s 
heart full of pity for the sufferer. 

Many things now combined to give the Rices 
a lively sense of the possible dangers of their 
situation. As June passed and July wore on, 
the air was full of alarming rumors of Indian 
attacks which reached them from every 
quarter. There were alarms and more or less 
fighting at No. 4, at Northfield, at Fort Bridg- 
man, and around Fort Duinmer and the Ashue- 
lots, men slain and others captured. An event 
that especially came home to the Rices was 
one Aaron related on his return from a trip to 
Deerfield the last of July. 

David Morrison has been captured. That’s 
the latest news,” said Aaron. 

‘^What, you don’t mean Hugh Morrison’s 
son, over in Colerain?” asked Mrs. Rice. 

^‘Yes, the same who went out scouting with 
me last winter. They were all talking about it 
down in Deerfield. It seems he went out only 
a few rods from his father’s fort, a little over a 
gunshot length, to shoot a hawk that was 
hovering around. Out leaped some Indians 
from the woods, seized him, and vanished. 


262 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Pursuit was made at once, but it was impossible 
to overtake the Indians, and so poor David has 
gone!^^^ 

^^It is terrible!’’ exclaimed Mrs. Rice. 
cannot bear to have you, Moses, and the boys 
go out to work even in the meadow, though 
you do always take your guns. We never 
know what day or hour the Indians may be 
upon you. To-day I can put my hand upon 
you,” — and Mrs. Rice laid her hand tenderly on 
the captain’s arm, — to-morrow you may have 
vanished, perhaps never to be seen by me 
again, and I may never even know your fate. 
I wish we could leave this exposed place. I 
doubt if it is safe for us to stay here longer, 
with this war raging.” 

^^You must not take these sad happenings 
too much to heart, Sarah,” said the captain 
soothingly. ^^With Fort Massachusetts and 
Fort Pelham at our backs, manned by so many 
brave soldiers, we are perfectly safe, I think.” 

^^I can’t help it. I don’t feel safe here,” said 
Mrs. Rice; while Tamar, upon whose naturally 
delicate frame and nervous temperament the 
war excitement had sadly worn, burst into 
tears and hurriedly left the room. 

You see, wife, it would be a terrible loss for 

1 David Morrison was never heard from; his fate unknown. 


WAR IN EARNEST. 


263 


me to desert this place now/’ said the captain 
earnestly. have put in larger crops this 
year than ever before, and the season has been 
unusually favorable. Everything is thriving, 
giving promise of an abundant harvest. Here 
we are, well started and established, all the 
hardships of beginning a settlement past, every- 
thing comfortable. I would n’t change places 
with any of the Deerfield men, if only this war 
were well over.” 

can’t help it, Moses; I still think we ought 
to leave,” persisted Mrs. Rice. 

The captain shook his head, sighing heavily. 
He was indeed placed in a difficult situation. 
It was hard for him to decide on the wisest 
course. But the loss would be so great should 
he abandon his home that he was disposed to 
remain as long as possible, with a native opti- 
mism hoping for the best. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


THE DEPARTURE. 

T he men on duty in the various garrisons 
were often changed from one fort to 
another as needed. Early in August the com- 
mander at Fort Shirley resolved to despatch 
some of his men to Fort Massachusetts, having 
heard that sickness had disabled some of the 
soldiers there. No Indians had appeared as 
yet around Forts Shirley and Pelham, while 
Fort Massachusetts was known to be peculiarly 
exposed to attack. 

The morning of Thursday, Aug. 14, 1746, 
all was bustle and excitement in lonely Fort 
Shirley, afar on its western hills; for fourteen 
of the men, with the chaplain. Rev. John Norton, 
and Dr. Thomas Williams, were to leave that 
morning for Fort Massachusetts. 

The sun was just rising above the eastern 
hills, but within Fort Shirley all had been 
stirring in the gray light of the early dawn. 
Horses were being saddled and laden with 
blankets and other necessities for such a trip. 


THE DEPARTURE. 


265 


men were hurrying across the parade ground 
from one house to the other, some were watering 
their horses at the fort well, others hunting to 
find some needed article that had mysteriously 
hidden itself at the last moment. 

Poor Mrs. Norton, her face pale and set with 
the effort to repress her tears, her heart heavy 
within her, kept herself busy, doing last things 
for her husband^s comfort, while the children 
followed her and their father about, pleased 
with the unusual excitement, yet vaguely 
conscious that mother felt badly, that some- 
thing was wrong. 

At last all was ready. The men were mostly 
mounted, and some were already riding out the 
gate. Mr. Norton braced himself to say that 
hard word, good-bye,” to his little family 
clustered about him. His wife held pretty 
baby Anna up in her arms for the father to 
kiss. The baby, dimpled and rosy, clutched 
her father’s cap with a crow of delight and pulled 
it off, whereat the other children laughed. 

^^Is n’t baby cunning?” said Asenath. 

want to go too. I want to ride on your 
big horse, father,” said little John, who was a 
great pet among the soldiers, and often allowed 
to ride their horses. 

^^No, Johnnie, father cannot take you up 


266 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


to-day/’ said Mr. Norton. Eunice/’ he said, 
turning to his wife and tenderly kissing her, 
^Hry to keep up heart. Well do I know how 
hard this is for you. But I shall be at Fort 
Massachusetts only a month, and then, after 
a short tarry at Fort Pelham, I shall be back 
again. Five or six weeks will pass before we 
know it.” 

“But, John,” said his wife with a sob she 
could not repress, “in these dangerous times 
who knows what is coming? You may be 
killed. I may never see you again. Our poor 
little ones — ” And here she stopped, unable to 
speak. 

“Eunice,” said her husband, trying to be 
brave for her sake, stoutly holding back the 
tears filling his own eyes, “we are in God’s 
hands. I go on the work to which God, in his 
good providence, has called me. I go with 
humble dependence upon Him for assistance in 
any dangers or hardships that may await me. 
And I leave you and my dear children in his 
care. Trust in Him. He cares for us wherever 
we are. Remember that always, Eunice, what- 
ever happens. And now good-bye.” 

He leaped upon his horse and hurried on to 
join the others, already far in advance. Mrs. 
Norton stood with her children at the fort gate. 


THE DEPARTURE. 


267 


watching him through a blur of tears, until 
his form was lost to sight in the western woods; 
then turned back into the fort, which seemed 
empty and desolate now he had gone, to take 
up her life with a heavy heart, but trying, 
with a brave effort for trust and patience, to 
do her duty without repining. 

The riders threaded the woods, seeming but 
pygmies as they rode along under the dense 
shade of the huge trees towering far above their 
heads. The shade was welcome this sultry 
August day, and all were glad when, riding 
down a high hill, they caught a glimpse of 
Fort Pelham^s stockade rising on another hill- 
side farther west. 

Yonder is Fort Pelham at last,” said Mr. 
Norton. 

A welcome sight,” said Dr. Williams. “We 
shall none of us be sorry to halt there for an 
hour^s rest through the worst heat of the day.” 

As they crossed Pelham Brook the men 
allowed their hot and tired horses to stop and 
drink its cool, clear water, the very dew of the 
mountains. 

“It does me good to see how old Bess enjoys 
it,” said one of the men, patting his horse^s 
neck as he delayed a bit to allow her to play in 
the water, plunging her nose in and around 


268 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


nearly to her eyes, blowing the water playfully 
about. 

^^Pve no time to waste on such foolishness,’’ 
said the comrade to whom he spoke, twitching 
his horse’s head sharply up before the horse 
had half drank its fill. His horse looked lank 
and rough, and had an uneasy expression of 
expecting whip or spur at any moment, forming 
a marked contrast to shining and contented 
Bess. She, with flashing eyes and head up, look- 
ing about as she journeyed with intelligent 
interest on everything along the way, was ready 
to strain every muscle and do her best at merely 
one word from her loved master. 

The men from Fort Shirley soon rode in at 
the gate of Fort Pelham, where their arrival 
was a delightful event. They tarried over an 
hour, to rest their horses, eat their luncheons, 
and avoid the heat of midday. Comrades 
visited with old friends and comrades. Dr. 
Williams inspected the garrison, and prescribed 
for some men who were not well; and Chaplain 
Norton, ere he departed, held a short religious 
service with these men, so isolated here on 
their hillside in the woods, far from home or 
church or any civilizing influences. 

As the company left Fort Pelham, Mr. Norton 
said : 


THE DEPARTURE. 


269 


“We have some steep climbing before us soon. 
Our path runs directly over yonder high moun- 
tain. But once over that, it is not far to Cap- 
tain Rice^s.’^ 

“There we shall doubtless get the latest tid- 
ings about the war,^^ said Dr. Williams, “for 
Rice^s is in the direct line of travel between 
Deerfield and Fort Massachusetts, and a stop- 
ping place for all travellers. I am most anxious 
to know if the French fleet has appeared off 
Boston yet.’^ 

“Whatever we hear, I pray there be no bad 
news from that quarter,” said Mr. Norton. 

The colonies, in response to orders from the 
British ministry, had, at vast trouble and ex- 
pense, raised a large body of troops for a pro- 
jected invasion of Canada, Massachusetts alone 
raising thirty-five hundred soldiers, expecting 
to be joined by a fleet from England to make 
a combined attack by sea and land, with Louis- 
burg as a base of supplies. But the feeble 
British ministers changed their minds, and no 
British fleet was sent, after all the preparations 
of the colonies. 

On the contrary, a French fleet of forty war 
ships, with D^Anville in command, was known 
to have sailed for the New England coast, with 
the object, it was understood, of taking Boston. 


270 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Great alarm and anxiety were felt throughout 
New England. Many of the Massachusetts 
troops had been withdrawn from Louisburg, 
some sent to Boston, some to the western 
border of Hampshire County. The one great 
anxiety overhanging Massachusetts now was 
this coming of the French fleet. 

The long file of sixteen men rode down along 
Pelham Brook, and turning to their left began 
slowly to ascend the steep, narrow path to the 
summit of South Mountain. 

“Stop a minute and let your horses breathe,’’ 
said Dr. Williams, when at last they reached 
the summit.^ 

Below them and far beyond to the west 
stretched a vast expanse of forest-clad hills. 

“There, Doctor,” said Mr. Norton, pointing 
off to the distant western horizon towards a 
peak rising grandly above the top of the nearer 
mountains, “ yonder is the mountain called Grey- 
lock, and Fort Massachusetts, whither we are 
bound, stands at its foot.” 

“It looks a goodly distance to ride through 
the woods,” said the doctor, and so thought all 
as they began the steep descent of South Moun- 

1 The old road from Rowe to Charlemont over South Mountain is 
still easily traced, and its summit is still called ‘‘ Norton’s Pass,” 
after Chaplain Norton. 


THE DEPARTURE. 271 

taints southern slope into the valley of the 
Deerfield. 

All were thankful to reach the comfortable 
stopping place at Captain Rice^s ere nightfall. 
Their horses were allowed to graze awhile on 
the hillside, under guard, and then driven into 
the stockade for greater safety. The men 
visited and exchanged news before camping 
down for the night, which must be done early, 
as it was necessary to be up with the first dawn 
next day for the long, hard trip over Hoosac 
Mountain. 

The Rices were much pleased to have a doctor 
and minister under their roof. Mrs. Rice made 
haste to confide to Dr. Williams some symp- 
toms of her own, and to consult him about 
Tamaras nervousness, though she said: 

I donT think the child will sleep much better 
so long as we stay in this exposed place, with 
fresh news of Indian attacks around us coming 
in almost daily. And I think that accounts 
for my heart trouble too. I am worried to 
death. Every morning I get up I wonder if 
we shall all live to see the sun set.’’ 

I am not surprised, Mrs. Rice, at your anx- 
iety,” said Dr. Williams. These are troubled 
times, and your situation here is indeed haz- 
ardous and the strain hard to bear.” 


272 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Is there any recent news of Indian depreda- 
tions? ’’ asked Mr. Norton. 

^^Why, yes, there is,’’ admitted Captain Rice. 

Early this month the French and Indians be- 
sieged Fort No. 4 for two days. They did not 
succeed in taking the fort, but they killed six- 
teen horses and all the cattle, burned every 
house but one outside the fort, and the settlers’ 
mill which they had rebuilt, and killed one man. 
I understand Governor Shirley has sent extra 
troops up there to remain until early fall, with 
orders to bring off all the women and children 
when they leave.” 

Terrible scenes those for women and chil- 
dren to undergo,” said Dr. Williams. 

^^We may have the same doings here any 
day, and your wife and children may be in like 
scenes or worse at Fort Shirley, Mr. Norton,” 
said Mrs. Rice. 

Mr. Norton looked grave, but said nothing, 
little later this month the Indians were 
around Winchester,” continued the captain. 
‘^They are getting bolder. Only last week, we 
hear, they appeared near Northfield, in spite 
of the large number of soldiers stationed there, 
and waylaid and killed young Benjamin Wright. 
He was riding out to pasture, armed with his 
gun, to drive in the cows belonging to people 


'I’HE DEPARTURE. 


273 


at the south end, when Indians in ambush fired 
on him, wounding him sorely. He placed his gun 
across his saddle pommel and, leaning on that, 
managed to ride back into the street, where he 
fell from his horse, dying that night. Indians 
were seen around Shattuck^s Fort the same day.” 

“ Do you wonder. Doctor, that I am begging 
the captain to leave this place while we can?” 
asked Mrs. Rice, tears in her eyes. 

“It is a hard matter to know what is best,” 
said the captain. “If we should hear that the 
French fleet had captured Boston, I do not 
know what would become of this province.” 

The earnest, devout religious service held 
that evening by Chaplain Norton was a real 
comfort to all. The next morning, Friday, the 
party for Fort Massachusetts were off early, 
riding up Cold River trail while one side the 
deep gorge was still in cool shadow. A dewy 
coolness and sweetness breathed from the stiU 
woods, and the world seemed so beautiful and 
peaceful it was hard to realize that death and 
danger might lurk in every step. 

They reached Fort Massachusetts safely late 
that afternoon. Sergeant Hawks was greatly 
relieved by the arrival of reinforcements, and 
especially to see Dr. Williams. He took the 
doctor apart, saying : 


18 


274 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^The truth is, Doctor, not only are my men 
nearly all sick, but I am short of anmiunition. 
Then we have lately discovered signs that the 
enemy are hanging about in this vicinity. We 
have seen none, yet our dogs and horses act 
strangely, as they do when Indians are around. 
And yesterday, when Daniel Smead went down 
through the cornfield, he saw a fresh moccasin 
track that he thinks unlike any worn by our 
men.^’ 

^^It is a dangerous situation,’’ said Dr. Wil- 
liams. What are you going to do. Sergeant?” 

“There’s no time to be lost. I suppose your 
brother. Captain Ephraim, may be back in 
Deerfield by this time. I want you to go down 
to Deerfield immediately and take him a letter, 
asking him to send up supplies forthwith for 
the fort, saying we are very short on it for 
ammunition, and have discovered signs of the 
enemy about. I will send men to escort you. 
You can explain the whole situation to him. 
Will you go?” 

“I will,” said the doctor. 

After his hard ride from Fort Shirley, per- 
haps Dr. Williams hardly craved another long, 
hazardous trip so soon over Hoosac Mountain, 
the thirty-six miles to Deerfield. But, like 
other New England men of his time, duty 


THE DEPARTURE. 275 

came first with the doctor; ease and inclination 
were put second. 

Dr. Williams spent the evening prescrib- 
ing for the sick. Fort Massachusetts stood on 
low ground, surrounded by undrained swamps, 
shut in on all sides by high mountains. It was 
not strange if, combined with unwholesome 
diet, the August sun beating down upon the 
surrounding swamps had caused a serious dysen- 
tery to break out in the fort, disabling many of 
the men. The doctor^s advice and the reme- 
dies he left were timely indeed, not a little 
cheering and encouraging the sick ones. 

When Dr. Williams departed the next morn- 
ing, escorted by fourteen soldiers, he left but 
twenty-two men in the fort, — Sergeant Hawks, 
Chaplain Norton, and twenty soldiers, half of 
whom were ill. Besides these were the three 
women and the five children. 

It was a bright summer^s morning, and all 
seemed quiet and peaceful. But as the party 
rode on through the woods their horses acted 
strangely, sniffing the air, starting and shying 
at slight provocation. 

I donT like the way our horses act, Doctor,^^ 
said one of the men. 

'^Nor do I,” said Dr. Williams. '^But noth- 
ing is to be seen. All seems quiet enough. 


276 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Perhaps the horses feel a little gay at first 
starting. Hoosac Mountain will soon take it 
out of them.” 

Little did Dr. Williams and his companions 
dream, as they rode on through the peace- 
ful woods with the birds singing over their heads, 
that concealed in the bushes beside their 
way, so near that (as the Indians afterwards 
said) they could easily have touched them as 
they passed, lay an army of eight or nine hun- 
dred French and Indians. The enemy were 
glad to see the force at the garrison depleted by 
the departure of so many men, and therefore 
suffered them to ride by unmolested. 

When, only the day after he had departed 
thence, Dr. Williams appeared again at the 
Rices’, Saturday night, and they learned that 
he had been despatched to Deerfield for am- 
munition, that so many of the men at Fort 
Massachusetts were ill, above all that signs of 
Indians had but lately been discovered around 
the fort, all were dismayed. Even the captain 
began to waver under the frantic entreaties of 
his wife and daughters. 

My advice is. Captain,” said Dr. Williams the 
next morning, as he was about setting forth, 
^Hhat you yield to the women. You cannot 
blame them. These are perilous times, and, as 


THE DEPARTURE. 277 

your wife says, you never know in the morning 
what may happen before night/^ , 

“It means a terrible loss for me to give up 
this place,’’ said the captain, whose face was 
haggard after an almost sleepless night. He 
had turned and tossed all night, praying for 
guidance to do what was best. 

“ I advise you to take your family right down 
to Deerfield,” said the doctor. “You can easily 
return a little later and see to things here. No 
harm may happen. This alarm may soon blow 
over without any damage done, and probably 
within a few weeks you can all come back and 
settle down. I strongly advise you to leave 
now, for a time anyway. The nervous strain 
on your women is too great, and there may be 
real danger besides.” 

“I am afraid you are right. Doctor,” said the 
captain reluctantly. 

When Dr. Williams reached Deerfield that 
Sunday night, he found that Capt. Ephraim Wil- 
liams had not yet returned there, and therefore 
the important letter was not delivered. 

The Rices spent that Sunday in toil and con- 
fusion. With sad hearts they were packing up 
the best of their clothing and the few valuables 
possible for the horses to carry, and stowing 
away and hiding the rest as best they could. 


278 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


When Tamar milked her pet cow that night 
she patted the creature’s soft nose thrust lov- 
ingly out for her caress, and, after making sure 
that no one saw her, kissed the white spot on 
the cow’s forehead, saying sadly : 

Good-bye, old Mooley. Perhaps I shall 
never see you again.” 

In the early dawn Monday morning the 
horses were saddled and tied out under the 
buttonball tree, ready for a start. There was 
a hurried eating of breakfast, a hasty packing 
of luncheon and last things for the horse loads, 
a running about to shut and lock all doors and 
windows. Captain Rice turned his hogs as well 
as cows and cattle loose in the pasture, to shift 
for themselves as best they might. 

At last came the time for departure. With 
sad hearts all mounted and rode down the hill 
to the east, heavy with sorrow at thus being 
obliged to abandon their home. Looking back 
at the turn in the road before the house was 
lost to view, they saw the morning sunlight 
shining cheerfully down on the pleasant house 
under the buttonball tree, the house that had 
sheltered so many travellers under its hospita- 
ble roof, on barns and corn-house full of hay 
and grain, on their creatures peacefully grazing 
on the hillside, on the corn and grain waving on 


THE DEPARTURE. 


270 


the meadows in the summer breeze, ripe and 
ready for harvest, the whole a picture of rural, 
homelike comfort and well-being. 

“It looks pleasant there, does n^t it, Sarah? 
asked the captain, his voice breaking as he looked 
back on the place that represented so many 
months of hard toil, so many hopes, so much 
thought and care and prudent management. 

“Oh, Moses, said his wife, wiping away her 
tears, “it seems more than I can bear! But 
let us hurry on. I shall not breathe easily 
until we are safely in Deerfield street.’^ 

The captain and the young men rode with 
their guns ready for instant use, eye and ear 
alert for the least unusual sight or sound. 
Bose trotted soberly behind the horses, head 
and tail down, seeming sensible of the depression 
overhanging his friends, who rode on in silence, 
starting if a deer splashed into the river or a 
partridge, frightened at the noise of their horses’ 
feet, fluttered among last year’s dead leaves. 

Happily towards night they reached Deerfield 
safely, where they were kindly received and 
asked to various homes whose sons had been 
hospitably entertained at Captain Rice’s in days 
gone by. 

They found a general feeling of alarm and 
uneasiness prevailing at Deerfield. In 1745 


280 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


the town had voted to help Samuel Allen and 
the Amsdens at the Bars ''build mounts and 
fortify themselves.” For some reason, perhaps 
because the settlers there felt themselves safe 
so far to the south, no mounts had been built 
at the Bars. But now, the Rices were told, 
the Allens and Amsdens, alarmed at the con- 
stant reports of Indian hostilities, had aban- 
doned their homes and all come up into the 
village to live. 

"The Allens are mostly at the houses of the 
two Hawks families,” said Mrs. Hoyt, with whom 
Captain and Mrs. Rice were stopping. " Mrs. Allen 
is sister both to Sergt. John Hawks and Eleazer. 
Mrs. John Hawks feels so worried and anxious 
about her husband in these dangerous times, 
that I guess she is thankful to have the Allens 
with her, to help distract her mind.” 

"If it is considered unsafe for the Allens 
and Amsdens to live down at the Bars, I am 
more than ever thankful that we of Charlemont 
came in,” said Mrs. Rice, whose worn and 
haggard face showed the strain of anxiety and 
fear she had suffered. 

" Often and often we have spoken of you here 
in Deerfield,” said Mrs. Hoyt, "wondering how 
you dared remain out there in such perilous 
times as these.” 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 

O N Saturday two of the men in Fort Massa- 
chusetts, going out several miles, dis- 
covered some tracks of Indians. This increased 
the feeling of apprehension among the little 
band within the fort, but when Sunday and 
Monday passed quietly away, their alarm began 
to be somewhat relieved. 

August had so far been a sultry, trying month. 
But Tuesday morning, Aug. 19, 1746, dawned 
cloudy, with a change of temperature and a hint 
of coming autumn in the air. 

John Smead was just without the fort gate 
doing some necessary work, and his wife had 
come out to watch him and get a little glimpse 
of the world outside the fort. The close con- 
finement within the fort walls was hard to 
bear. 

Only see, John, those maple bushes starting 
up over in the swamp,” said Mrs. Smead, looking 
rather wistfully out the gate at woods and fields. 
^^They are as bright a red already as if it were 


282 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


fall. We shall have cool, clear weather soon, 
and our sick will mend.’’ 

We shall soon be all right again, if only no 
Indians appear here,” said Smead. 

Don’t speak of Indians. It makes my heart 
sink,” said Mrs. Smead. 

Here Reuben, Simon, and Mary Smead and 
Ebenezer Scott, who were racing around the 
parade ground, dashed out the gate, with loud 
whoop and screams, headed for the woods 
near by. 

Boys, come back ! Come back this minute ! ” 
shouted Smead in the tone of one not to be 
trifled with. 

The children ran back into the fort, Reuben 
saying in an injured tone : 

“ We were only playing Indian, father. I am 
the Indian chief, and I was just chasing the 
others, pretending to scalp them. I don’t see 
why we can’t run into the woods.” 

^^I wish you children would play something 
else,” said Mrs. Smead. 

^^No going outside the fort! Against the 
sergeant’s orders!” said Smead as he slammed 
the gate to, fastening it securely. 

There lay the little fort in its hollow, the great 
mountains towering all around it. On every 
side unbroken forest swept to the mountain 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 283 

tops. All nature seemed to breathe peace and 
beauty. 

“I am glad — ” began Mrs. Smead. 

At that instant a hideous uproar arose outside 
the fort; blood-curdling war whoops, fierce yells, 
the rapid firing of many guns! 

^^The French and Indians! The woods are 
full of them! They are rushing upon the fort 
on all sides !’^ cried the sentry from the mount. 

Mrs. Smead and the children fled into the 
''great house.’’ Smead and all the well men, 
including Chaplain Norton, seized their guns. 

"Don’t fire until they are close upon us!” 
cried Hawks. " We ’ve not a bullet to waste ! 
Let them come near. Then we can make every 
shot tell.” 

The enemy swarmed on all sides the fort, 
some eight or nine hundred French and Indians. 
Within the fort, to resist this overwhelming 
assault, were only twelve well men. But sur- 
render was the last thing thought of either by 
Hawks and Norton or any of the ten men who 
stood so valiantly by their leader. 

The enemy rushed in a body towards the fort, 
the hideous whoops and yells of the Indians 
rending the air. Not until they were within 
twenty rods of it rang out the guns of the 
sturdy fighters within the walls, The enemy 


284 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


recoiled at this, many throwing themselves 
behind the stumps, trees, and logs thickly strew- 
ing the clearing around the fort. Here they 
crouched, keeping up an incessant firing from 
these coverts against the httle fort. 

Hawks, peering out through the smoke, 
observed that the Indians were dashing from 
one tree stump to another, thus contriving to 
draw nearer the fort. 

Shoot them on the run, boys,’’ he cried. 

But the crafty Indians now ran crookedly, 
zigzagging this way and that, thus dodging the 
shot. 

^^Bedad, I shoot at ’em, and they’re not 
there at all!” exclaimed Samuel Lovatt. 

'^They’re slippery as eels,” said Scott. 

^^Wait a bit,” said Hawks. “Catch them 
just as they go to drop behind a stump.” 

This plan of aiming ahead of an Indian, firing, 
as it were, where he was not but soon would 
be, proved successful, and several Indians were 
seen to fall and rise no more. 

Gen. Rigaud de Vaudreuil (brother of the 
French governor), the officer in command, had 
sent his ensign with the French flag within 
thirty rods of the fort, where he stood sheltered 
by a tree, holding aloft his colors. The sight of 
the hated French flag, almost waving over Fort 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 285 

Massachusetts, only served to inflame the fury 
of fighting that now possessed Hawks and his 
men. 

Hawks noticed a tall Indian, the chief of the 
St. Francis Indians, actively rushing here, there, 
everywhere, urging his followers on to assault 
the fort. Hawks was a fine marksman. Though 
inwardly he was all aflame with excitement, 
outwardly he was cool and collected. Taking 
careful aim, he fired, hitting the tall sachem 
full in the breast. The chief fell, and the be- 
leaguered men inside the fort took fresh courage. 

As Hawks dropped another bullet into his 
gun, he noticed that General de Vaudreuil had 
stationed himself on the hill about forty rods 
north of the fort. Shots now flew so near this 
tempting mark, that De Vaudreuil was obliged 
to withdraw, but soon went to the spot where 
his ensign stood with the flag. Now a well- 
directed shot wounded the general in the arm, 
and he and his ensign were seen hastily with- 
drawing to their camp northwest of the fort. 

This cheered the men under Hawks. 

^^Well done,’’ said Hawks. ^^Keep it up. 
If we only had plenty of ammunition, we would 
make it hot for them.” 

The attacking force continued an incessant 
firing, and many of them managed to creep 


286 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


within a dozen rods of the fortes walls. Now 
some of the new men, who had but just come 
into Fort Massachusetts from Fort Shirley, 
little expecting to engage in an immediate 
battle, found their bullet pouches getting empty. 

On learning this. Hawks at once went to 
examine again his store of ammunition, finding 
it, to his dismay, even lower than he had 
estimated. But there was some lead on hand 
and moulds, and he forthwith set those best 
able among the sick soldiers to moulding bullets 
and shot. 

“ Fire no more, save when absolutely necessary 
to keep the enemy back, or when a shot is sure 
to tell,’’ were now his orders. ^Ht is hard, I 
know, but now every bullet must do execution.” 

Under these orders the men in the fort fired 
but seldom. The enemy, meantime, were out 
in full view, swarming about the fort on every 
side, within fifty or sixty rods of the fort, some- 
times even within forty rods, their officers 
walking back and forth, swords in hand, coolly 
giving orders and taking observations of the 
fort. From the hill north they were able to 
look directly into the parade ground and watch 
what was taking place. It was a most exasper- 
ating situation to the brave fighters within the 
fort, 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 287 

is enough to make a preacher swear — 
began Hawks hotly. 

''Nay, nay, you forget yourself. Sergeant,” 
remonstrated Norton. 

" — to see those French cockerels strutting 
about in their gold-laced uniforms so near, and 
be unable to bowl them over for lack of a 
little lead,” continued Hawks. "If this fort 
were only well stocked with ammunition, I’d 
guarantee to hold it against twice their num- 
ber.” 

In the lower story of the " great house ” (as 
the officers’ quarters were called), in the fort’s 
southeast corner, crouched the pallid, terror- 
stricken women, their little children huddled 
closely around them, listening to the hideous 
cries, the crashing of shots, and roar of guns, 
not knowing when, any instant, husband or 
father might be brought in dead or wounded. 

"I cannot bear it any longer to sit still here,” 
finally said Rebecca Perry, as she rose to go out. 

"What are you going to do?” asked Mrs. 
Scott, hushing the two-year-old boy in her lap, 
who, crying, said he was hilngry. 

"I’m going out to help the sick men run 
bullets,” said Mrs. Perry. "I know well how 
to do it, and I am better able than they.” 

" It must be almost noon, by the sun, as near 


288 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


as we can see it for the powder smoke/ ^ said 
Mrs. Scott. ^^It seems more like a week than 
a half day since we ate our breakfasts so quietly 
only this morning.’^ 

^^It seems nearer a year/^ said Mrs. Smead. 

^^If you will take care of the children, I will 
try to cook something hot and pass to our sick 
ones and to the men fighting. They must be 
nearly spent, said Mrs. Scott. 

So these brave women partly forgot their 
troubles in trying to help as they could, and the 
hot food renewed the strength of the men 
whose every sense and muscle was under such 
intense strain. 

John Aldrich, one of the soldiers, was brought 
down to the barrack house from the mount 
shot through the foot, and soon after Jonathan 
Bridgman was brought in, with a flesh wound 
in his hip. The women dressed the wounds 
as best they could and gave the men soothing 
drinks. Aiter the wounded men had been 
made as comfortable as possible, as they lay 
on their beds, Aldrich said feebly to Bridgman: 

^^It’s lucky we have some women here to 
care for us.^’ 

‘^Poor Richard says,” quoth Bridgman, ^Hhat 
a house without woman and firelight is like a 
body without soul.” 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 289 

^^True enough/^ said Aldrich. “I cannot 
help thinking what will become of you and me, 
Jonathan, if the enemy take this fort. We are 
in bad shape to start for Canada, that’s certain.” 

“We must trust that things will be ordered 
mercifully for us,” said Bridgman. 

The whole fighting force in the fort was now 
reduced to ten men, including Hawks and 
Norton. 

The long, long dreadful day wore on, and at 
last the sun began to sink behind the Taconic 
range. 

“What are the enemy planning now?” asked 
Forbush. “They are out with axes cutting 
wood.” 

“Perhaps they are making ladders to storm 
our fort in the night,” suggested Mr. Norton. 

“I see now,” cried Forbush. “They are 
tying the wood up in fagots. They mean to 
burn us out to-night!” 

“Not if I can help it,” said Sergeant Hawks, 
hastening down from the mount. 

He at once set every able-bodied person in 
the fort to filling all pails and tubs with water 
from the fort well in the northeast corner of 
the parade ground, superintending himself the 
placing them in the best spots for instant use. 
Every outer door was examined and doubly 

19 


290 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


fastened. He also had a passageway cut 
through between the various rooms built against 
the fort wall, distributing the handful of men 
through the rooms, but keeping two all the 
time in the mount, and some also in the upper 
story of the great house,’^ all sharply looking 
out for possible assault. 

The evening came on cloudy and dark. The 
flash of the enemy’s guns illuminated the dark- 
ness, as a constant firing was still kept up. 

Mr. Norton was in the mount all the evening 
with Sergeant Hawks. 

^Ht seems as if they were drawing nearer 
and in greater force than in the daytime,” said 
Norton anxiously, straining his eyes to see 
through the dark. ^Ht is poor encouragement 
to shoot at them, for we have nothing to guide 
us but their fire.” 

^‘Yet we must fire now and then, for, if we 
wholly stop, they will be emboldened to storm 
the fort,” said Hawks. ^^Let them have a 
little buckshot.” 

After keeping up a steady firing all the even- 
ing, about nine o’clock the whole army sur- 
rounded the fort, shouting and yelling with a 
hideous outcry. Four times rang out the 
Indian war whoop, most terrible of sounds. 

The beleaguered handful of people inside the 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 291 

fort waited in anxious suspense for the expected 
assault, but none followed. Soon the sentries 
reported that the enemy had set a watch all 
around the fort, some of the Indians creeping 
up near the walls, as if to make sure that none 
escaped during the night. The rest of the 
enemy retired to their camps. They had two 
camps: one southeast of the fort, on the bank 
of the Hoosac; the other on the northwest. 

Sergeant Hawks now conferred with Mr. 
Norton and the eight well men as to what had 
best be done. 

If I could only manage to send to Deerfield 
for ammunition and reinforcements!^^ exclaimed 
the sergeant. Cannot one of you slip out the 
gate and through the enemy^s guard? asked 
he, anxiously scanning his men. 

But no one volunteered for this dangerous 
and hopeless service. Still the idea of sur- 
render was unendurable to Hawks. Any des- 
perate expedient rather than that. Without 
giving express commands, he sounded several 
of the men separately, hoping to persuade some 
one to venture on this desperate mission. 

Finding this hopeless, at last he gave orders 
for the sick and feeble to get what rest they 
could, not minding the enemy^s noise and 
outcries. 


292 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“You are to lie still all night, unless I call 
for you,^^ he said. 

The ten well men, including himself and Mr. 
Norton, were divided into relief watches. Some 
lay down in their clothes, guns beside them, 
trying in vain to rest or snatch a little sleep, 
while the others stood on guard, each set reliev- 
ing the other by turns. Often during the night 
the Indian war whoop rent the air, when of 
course the besieged expected instant assault. 
Sleep was impossible under such a dread strain. 

About two o^clock it was Mr. Norton’s turn 
to go on guard. He took his gun and ascended 
up into the mount. After his eyes had become 
accustomed to the darkness, he could dimly 
discern the great bulk of Greylock, the Hoosacs, 
and the other mountains rising grandly up 
against the sky all around the fort, seeming 
in this dim light even more mysterious and 
powerful than by day. Solemn thoughts filled 
the chaplain’s mind as he gazed on them, — 
thoughts of the wife and children far away, 
unconscious of his danger, of the issues of life 
or death the morrow might bring, of the all- 
seeing God in whom was his only hope. 

As he paced up and down, looking at the 
mountains whose might hinted of the Power 
who created them, he murmured: 


FORT MASSACHUSETTS ATTACKED. 293 

' I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from 
whence cometh my help. My help cometh 
from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. 
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he 
that keepeth thee will not slumber nor sleep. 
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy 
coming in from this time forth, even for ever- 
more.^’’ 

Comforted by these thoughts, he breathed 
a prayer, even amid the din of Indian yells, for 
his loved ones, and for strength to bear what- 
ever might await him and to help the others, 
his companions in trouble. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


THE SURRENDER. 

T he gray dawn at last slowly dispelled the 
blackness of night, and all felt relieved to 
see daylight. The enemy at once renewed their 
activities, and Sergeant Hawks ordered all his 
men to their posts, stationing two in the mount. 
By going into the cornfield on the meadow south 
of the fort, the enemy were enabled to approach 
much nearer the fort on that side. 

“You and I little thought, when we worked 
hard to plant and hoe yonder corn hoping for 
some roasting ears to vary our rations, whom 
we were planting it to shelter,’’ said Thomas 
Knowlton, one of the two men on guard in the 
mount, to Forbush his comrade. 

“Misery makes strange bedfellows, and so 
does war,” said Forbush. “None of us knows 
where he will be sleeping to-night.” 

“Not in this fort I fear, as things look,” 
said Knowlton. 

The enemy now found a new means of dis- 
tressing those in the fort. Going up on the 


THE SURRENDER. 


295 


hill north of the fort, they were able to fire 
directly into the parade ground, so that no one 
could stir from the houses. Many of the Indians 
were still busy making fagots, evidently pre- 
paring to burn the fort. Their firing was kept 
up briskly and continuously, and the people 
within the fort, who had not slept, had now 
nearly reached the limit of their strength under 
this terrible strain. 

About eleven o^clock Thomas Knowlton was 
shot through the head, as he stood in the mount. 
It was impossible to reach him, owing to the 
incessant firing into the parade from the hill, 
and his body lay where it fell, his gun beside 
him, as it dropped from his hand. 

At noon the firing ceased. Then a French 
soldier bearing a white flag was seen approach- 
ing the fortes gate on the north. He brought 
a message from General de Vaudreuil desiring 
a parley. Sergeant Hawks and Mr. Norton, 
escorted by the bearer of the flag of truce, went 
out to the point on the hillside where the general 
awaited their coming, his wounded arm in a 
sling. 

General de Vaudreuil could but look with 
respect upon his valiant foes. Their faces were 
blackened with powder smoke and haggard 
from the strain they had undergone, but their 


206 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


eyes looked resolutely into the generaPs, un- 
conquered. The general as yet, though knowing 
the garrison to be small, had no idea of the few 
men actually holding the fort against his army. 

He offered good terms if the fort were sur- 
rendered; otherwise he should proceed to take 
it by force. He reminded Hawks that, if he 
were obliged to storm the fort, it would be im- 
possible for him to prevent his Indian allies 
from wholesale slaughter. His interpreter. Mon- 
sieur Doty, made this offer known to Sergeant 
Hawks. 

The sergeant and Mr. Norton looked at each 
other, thinking of the helpless women, children, 
and the sick, but Hawks replied: 

“I will consider your proposal, and give you 
an answer in two hours.’’ 

He and Mr. Norton then returned to the fort. 
Calling the other men around them, they con- 
sidered this momentous question. It was a 
hard struggle to think of surrendering the fort 
which they had so valiantly defended, yet the 
thought of the certain slaughter of the innocent 
and helpless if the fort were taken by storm 
made them hesitate. 

'^Let us ask the Divine guidance in this 
strait,” said Sergeant Hawks at last. Chap- 
lain, will you lead us in prayer?” 


THE SURRENDER. 


297 


A touching picture is that of this handful 
of brave men, afar in the wilderness in their 
smoke-begrimed, battered fort, surrounded on 
every side by wild, wooded mountains and a 
foe of overwhelming numbers, standing with 
reverently bared heads in undoubting faith 
around Chaplain Norton, while he earnestly 
besought the God in whom they trusted, the 
God of their fathers, to guide them aright in 
their momentous decision. 

After the prayer. Sergeant Hawks said : 

will examine our stock of ammunition 
once more, and see how long we can possibly 
withstand the enemy, if he assault us.’^ 

Only three or four pounds of powder and as 
many of lead were found to be left in the fort. 

^^If they attack us our ammunition will be 
spent in a few minutes,’’ said Sergeant Hawks. 
^^If we were all well, or if we had no women 
and children here, in spite of that I would 
willingly stand it out to the last.” 

^^So would I,” said the valiant chaplain, and 
all agreed in this feeling. 

After further deliberation. Hawks at last said : 

^^As matters stand with us, I fear it is best 
to surrender, getting the best terms we can. 
It is hard, terribly hard, but I can see no other 
way for us.” 


298 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


He therefore offered to surrender the fort on 
these terms: 

First, that all should be prisoners of the 
French, the general promising that none should 
be given into the hands of the savages. 

Second, that all the children should live with 
their parents during the time of their captivity. 

Third, that the prisoners should all be ex- 
changed at the first opportunity. 

General de Vaudreuil accepted these terms, 
and also promised that the prisoners should 
have ^^all Christian care and charity exercised 
towards them’’; that those who were weak and 
unable to travel should be carried; that all 
should keep their clothing, and that they might 
leave a few lines behind to inform their friends 
of their fate. 

About three o’clock on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 
1746, the fort gate was opened, and General 
de Vaudreuil and his officers, Demuy, St. Luc, 
La Come, and the rest, were admitted, the gate 
then being closed, shutting out the rank and 
file of the French and the wildly excited Indians. 
The handful of men within the fort had resisted 
an army of eight or nine hundred for thirty-six 
hours, and would not have surrendered then 
but for absolute lack of ammunition. 

General de Vaudreuil at once ordered the 


THE SURRENDER. 


299 


French standard set up, and from the top of 
the great house floated proudly the lilies of 
France over brave little Fort Massachusetts, a 
sight hard indeed for Sergeant Hawks and its 
other defenders to witness calmly. 

The French officers were moved by both pity 
and admiration when they learned the exact 
condition of affairs within the fort, and hastened 
to speak comfortably’^ to their prisoners, 
assuring them they should be kindly treated. 
Monsieur Doty interpreted the speeches on 
either side. 

^^The dead body of one of our young men 
lies up in the mount where he fell,” said Ser- 
geant Hawks. We crave for it a decent 
burial.” 

^^It shall not be abused, but given decent 
burial,” replied the general. 

Alas, he had promised more than he could 
fulfil, for even while this conference was going 
on, his Indian allies, excited to the last degree, 
furious at being excluded from the fort which 
they had helped to take, began pulling out the 
underpinning on one side the fort walls, until 
two or three of them were able to squeeze 
through the hole thus made. These ran to the 
gates, throwing them wide open, and the other 
Indians rushed in, until the parade ground was 


300 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


crowded full. The frightened women and chil- 
dren shut themselves into one of the houses, 
where they listened in terror to the turmoil 
without. 

A fiendish whoop soon went up from the 
Indians. They spied the blood of poor Knowl- 
ton, which had trickled down from the mount, 
and the sight at once infuriated them. They 
were determined to go up in the mount. The 
French held them back for some time, but were 
at last unable longer to control the savages. 
They rushed up into the mount, seized Knowl- 
ton^s corpse with fierce whoops of triumph, 
dragged it down and outside the fort, where 
they scalped it, and cut off the head and 
arms. 

A young Frenchman, probably a habitant 
who had grown up amongst the Indians, and 
was more savage than they, deliberately flayed 
one of the arms, roasted it, and offered some of 
the flesh to young Daniel Smead as the boy 
stood, helpless, surrounded by his foes. 

^^No, I will die first,” said Daniel, recoiling 
with disgust and horror. 

The Frenchman laughed, and proceeded to 
take a mouthful himself in bravado, an act 
much admired by the Indians. 

The English captives, clustered in one corner 


THE SURRENDER. 


301 


of the fort, were forced to look on and see their 
most cherished possessions and private belong- 
ings overhauled and destroyed by the Indians, 
who were in full tide of triumph, swarming into 
every nook and corner, greedy for plunder. 

General de Vaudreuil now ordered that the 
prisoners be taken to his camp, and that the 
rifled fort be burned. The fortes walls, made 
of pine logs that had dried all summer in the 
hot sun, kindled readily. 

As the little band of exhausted, heavy- 
hearted captives toiled off to the northwest 
under a strong guard of French soldiers, looking 
back they saw flames and smoke rising high from 
the fort, while the Indians, flourishing their toma- 
hawks and guns, danced the war dance in its 
blaze with loud shouts and songs of triumph. 

Hardly had they reached the camp when 
Monsieur Doty, the interpreter, sought Chaplain 
Norton on a delicate errand. 

The general desires that you. Chaplain, 
persuade some of the captives to go with the 
Indians,’^ he said. ^^The Indians are set upon 
having some of the prisoners for their own, to 
present to the governor as theirs, when we reach 
Canada. Sergeant Hawks, yourself, and the fam- 
ilies shall all remain with the French offlcers.” 

^^But this is exactly contrary to our agree- 


302 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


merit,” exclaimed the thunderstruck Mr. Norton, 
^^and to the generaPs solemn promise. It will 
be deliberately throwing away the lives of our 
sick and wounded.” 

^^No, no, not so,” said Monsieur Doty in 
bland tones. ^^The Indians will treat them 
kindly. Of course all are prisoners of the 
French. Yet the general hopes some will be 
willing to go with the Indians.” 

“You should speak to Sergeant Hawks. He 
is our commander,” said Mr. Norton coldly, 
disgusted with this perfidy. 

Monsieur Doty now sought Sergeant Hawks, 
where, heart-sick and exhausted, he had sunk 
upon a log for rest, and made the same proposal 
to him. 

“ I took the general to be a man of honor and 
hoped to find him so,” said Hawks. 

A long and heated debate followed, between 
Hawks and Norton on one side and Monsieur 
Doty on the other, ending with a flat refusal 
on the Englishmen’s part to waive this vital 
part of their treaty of surrender. 

“I hope the general will not insist upon this 
thing, but will keep his promise to the prisoners,” 
were Mr. Norton’s concluding words, as Monsieur 
Doty departed in ill humor at his failure. 

In spite of the refusal of the English to break 


THE SURRENDER. 


303 


the terms of the treaty, shortly after Monsieur 
Doty had departed some French officers came 
to the little group of prisoners, and took John 
Perry and wife and all the prisoners except 
Sergeant Hawks, Mr. Norton, John Smead and 
Moses Scott and their wives and young children, 
and distributed them among the Indians. This 
gave eleven prisoners to the French and nine- 
teen to the Indians. 

It is impossible to describe the dismay among 
the prisoners at this violation of his promise by 
the French general. All their lives they had 
heard stories of the horrors of Indian captivity 
from friends and relatives who had experienced 
them. Now they too were captives to Indians, 
being borne to Canada. They lay down that 
night on the banks of the Hoosac, a strong 
guard set over them, a few to sleep from utter 
exhaustion, but many to pass a night of distress 
and painful foreboding. 

Mr. Norton, weak and exhausted as he was, 
had yet, amid the surrounding confusion, man- 
aged to write a short letter. The next morning 
he obtained the generaPs permission to return 
to the fort, that he might post it in some con- 
spicuous place, where it might perhaps be 
found by the English and reveal the fate of 
the fortes garrison. 


304 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


The letter read as follows : 

These are to inform you that yesterday, 
about nine of the clock, we were besieged by, 
as they say, seven hundred French and Indians. 
They have wounded two men and killed one 
Knowlton. The General de Vaudreuil desired 
capitulations, and we were so distressed that we 
complied with his terms. We are the French’s 
prisoners, and have it under the general’s 
hand that every man, woman, and child shall 
be exchanged for French prisoners.” 

Under guard of a French officer and several 
Indians, Mr. Norton returned to the fort. The 
August sun this Thursday morning shone 
brightly down on the blackened and trampled 
spot where only a few charred, smoking ends 
of logs and the scorched well-sweep, still stand- 
ing above the well choked with rubbish, re- 
vealed where Fort Massachusetts had stood. 

The French officer, well pleased with the 
victory won, happy in the thought that soon he 
should be at home, hummed lightly a gay love 
song as he paced up and down; the Indians 
prowled about the rubbish for some bits of 
metal or other scraps of plunder that might 
have been overlooked; while Mr. Norton sadly 
fastened his letter to the well post, praying 
silently : 


THE SURRENDER. 


305 


^^0 God, our strength and refuge in this 
hour of our calamity, so order, I beseech thee, 
that our friends may find this letter, that they 
may use every effort to redeem us.” 

This done, Mr. Norton and his guard returned 
to camp. The prisoners stowed away their 
few belongings in packs to be carried on their 
shoulders, and the long, dreary march was 
begun, up the old Mohawk trail along the 
Hosaac^s shore, then northward for Crown 
Point and Canada. 


20 


CHAPTER XX. 


AT THE BARS. 

T he inhabitants of Deerfield had no means 
of knowing the disaster at Fort Massa- 
chusetts, and therefore life went on with them 
evenly and quietly as usual. 

Friday morning, the day after the Fort Massa- 
chusetts prisoners started for Canada, ten men 
were sent from Deerfield to the Colerain forts. 
When well up among the Shelburne hills, riding 
cheerfully along with no thought of danger, 
suddenly they were fired upon by a party of 
Indians lying in ambush. One Bliss, a Con- 
necticut soldier, was killed and scalped. The 
other soldiers managed to escape to the near- 
est Colerain fort. There was no way to 
send word of this affair back to Deerfield, so 
people there continued wholly unconscious of 
danger. 

On Sunday every one in Deerfield able to be 
about attended meeting as usual. The Rices 
appreciated the privilege of going to meeting 
and worshipping once more with their fellow 


AT THE BARS. 307 

believers, but Mrs. Rice said to her husband 
after their return home : 

Perhaps it is wrong in me to criticise Parson 
Ashley. But my heart was sore and heavy 
within me, and I longed unspeakably for some 
words of gospel comfort, and Parson Ashley 
discoursed entirely on our sins and those of the 
nation, saying, ‘God speaks in anger by the 
judgments he executes; He is speaking to his 
people this day with the terrible wrath of an 
angry God,^ and so on. As I listened there 
seemed no hope or comfort anywhere.’^ 

“Parson Ashley does his duty as he sees it,” 
said Captain Rice. “ It was no doubt a power- 
ful discourse, calculated to make sinners tremble. 
But I myself, like you, yearned for something- 
more comforting.” 

Little did Parson Ashley and his flock dream, 
as his majestic periods rolled out from under the 
sounding board over the heads of his peaceful 
hearers (some of whom would never sit again in 
the home church), that in the woods on Shel- 
burne Mountain prowled a band of sixty Indians, 
their faces smeared with war paint, peering down 
from behind the trees on the green meadows 
north and south of the village, seeking a chance 
to slay or take captive. These Indians were a 
part of De Vaudreuiks forces who, dissatisfied 


308 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


with the number of scalps and captives taken at 
Fort Massachusetts, had come down to Deerfield 
hoping to increase their spoils. It was this band 
which had attacked the men going to Colerain. 

Monday morning was bright and sunny. 

A capital day this to gather in our hay from 
the south meadow/’ said Samuel Allen. Could 
not be better.” 

He and the Amsdens, though living in Deer- 
field village at present, still went down to culti- 
vate their fields at the Bars. Saturday they 
had been obliged to stack a quantity of well- 
seasoned hay and leave it over Sunday. 

feared rain yesterday,” continued Mr. 
Allen, “but none has fallen, and our hay will 
be in prime condition to come in to-day. Caleb, 
run over to Oliver Amsden and tell him we will 
set out for the Bars as soon as I have secured 
two soldiers from the garrison to go with us 
as guard.” 

“May I go down with you, father?” asked 
Caleb. 

“ Yes, yes, run along. I ’m in a hurry to get 
off,” said his father. 

A number of soldiers from Connecticut were 
stationed at Deerfield, and some of them always 
went out to guard the inhabitants when at work 
on the meadows. 


AT THE BARS. 


SOO 

The Allens were staying with their relatives, 
the Hawkses. Young Eleazer Hawks, nephew 
of Mrs. Allen and of Sergeant John, had been 
ill, but was now recovering. 

It is such a pleasant morning, Uncle Samuel, 
that I am tempted to take my gun and go 
out with you,’^ said Eleazer. Perhaps I can 
shoot a few partridges. It really seems as if a 
roasted partridge would relish.^^ 

^^I am glad if you are beginning to have an 
appetite again, Eleazer,^^ said Mrs. Allen. 

^^Oh, mother, cried Eunice Allen eagerly, 
“cannot I go to the meadow too with father? 
IVe been shut up here in the village so long I 
should love to go down to the Bars and gather 
some wild flowers.’’ 

“ If Eunice and Caleb are going, I want to go 
too, mother,” said little eight-year-old Samuel. 

“As long as your father and Cousin Eleazer 
are going, with two soldiers for guard, I see no 
harm in letting you all go, if your father is 
willing,” said Mrs. Allen, smiling at the bright 
faces of her children, and anxious to indulge 
them in this rare chance for a little outing. 

“You can go, children,” said Mr. Allen, 
looking indulgently at the eager young faces. 
“ But I shall expect you all to help me some by 
raking after the cart.” 


310 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


We will. We would love to/’ cried the chil- 
dren, dancing about from joy and excitement. 

Oliver Amsden, gun, pitchfork, and rake over 
his shoulder, chanced, as he was going down to 
the Hawks house, to meet Sylvanus Rice. The 
Rices were still waiting in Deerfield, hoping 
soon to return home. 

^^Come on, Sylvanus,” said Oliver. ^^Go 
down to the Bars with us. You can help a 
little, and it will be something to do.” 

^^Pd like nothing better,” said Sylvanus. 
^^Pll just run in and tell mother that I am 
going, and then overtake you.” 

But Sylvanus met with unexpected opposition, 
do not want you to go so far out of the 
village, Sylvanus, unless it is absolutely neces- 
sary,” said his mother. ^‘Somehow I feel 
such a sense of foreboding. I cannot shake it 
off. I suppose it may come from our living so 
long in Charlemont, expecting an Indian on- 
slaught any day. I should suffer untold anxiety 
every moment you were gone.” 

^^If your mother feels that way about it, 
you had better not go, Sylvanus,” said his 
father. 

And so Sylvanus was reluctantly obliged to 
stay at home, secretly feeling that his mother 
was quite unnecessarily anxious. 


^HE BARS. 


gll 


The ox carts going down to the Bars that 
morning bore a happy company : Mr. Allen and 
his three children; Oliver Amsden and his 
little brother Simeon, who was going because 
his cronies, Caleb and Samuel Allen, were; 
Eleazer Hawks, his pale face brightened at 
being able to be out once more; and the two 
Connecticut soldiers, who felt their duties as 
guard merely nominal, it being long since an 
Indian had been seen in or about Deerfield. 

The sun streamed warmly down, drawing 
out sweet odors from the tall wild grass covering 
the meadows. The golden rod was beginning 
to bloom, and beside the river, as they rode 
along its bank, was a mass of yellow tansy 
blossoms, their bright hue intensified against 
the background of the river^s clear water, which 
reflected the deep blue of the sky above as it 
rippled by over its pebbles. 

^^Only see how pretty the tansy looks,^’ said 
Eunice. mean to pick a big bunch of it 
when we go home.’’ 

Mother will hang it up in the attic to dry 
for medicine,” said Caleb. 

^^Not all of it,” said Eunice. shall fill a 
pitcher full to stand in the living-room fire- 
place for a bouquet.” 

All chatted and laughed, feeling the bright 


312 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


influence of the morning, and glad to be out 
in the fields. The oxen plodded on the two 
miles below the village, and through the bars 
which gave the locality its name, out west to 
the meadow where the hay stood in stacks 
ready to be loaded. 

The men began to load the carts, while the 
children ran about helping rake a little but 
playing more, their good-natured father look- 
ing indulgently on their sport. 

‘^If I were only good for anything. Uncle 
Samuel, I would gladly help you,’' said Eleazer. 

But as I am not, I believe I will step over into 
yonder woods and see if I can flush a partridge 
or two.” 

^^Good luck to you,” said Mr. Allen. 

Eleazer disappeared in the woods which 
covered the rising ground to the south. Soon 
the report of his gun rang out. 

guess Eleazer has shot one partridge al- 
ready,” said little Samuel. 

Suddenly from the woods broke a loud, 
crashing volley of many muskets I 

Mr. Allen, Oliver, and the soldiers hastily seized 
their guns. Out from the covert of the woods 
rushed sixty Indians with fierce war whoops, 
surrounding the dismayed little company on 
all sides. 


AT THE BARS. 313 

Astounded as he was, Mr. Alienas first thought 
was for his children. 

^^Run, children!’^ he cried. '^Run towards 
the fort!’^ 

He and the other men began a fighting re- 
treat towards a mill which stood at some dis- 
tance on the bank of the river. They ran 
backwards, firing as they ran, hoping thus to 
divert the Indians^ attention from the children. 

But the number of the enemy was too great. 
Reaching the river, under its high bank the 
men made a last desperate stand. Allen saw 
the foremost of their pursuers fall under his 
fire, but in an instant more he and Gillett were 
overpowered, killed, and scalped. Saddler, in 
spite of the bullets raining thickly about him, 
succeeded in dashing through the river to an 
island covered with bushes, where he hid and 
so escaped. 

Others of the Indians were chasing Oliver 
Amsden and the flying children. Oliver was 
the first to fall. Not only was he scalped, 
but his head was severed from his shoulders. 
Simeon Amsden, after a stout struggle by the 
sturdy boy, was killed, his hands and arms be- 
ing cut in pieces. Caleb Allen ran into a field 
of corn, and so escaped notice in the Indians' 
haste. 


314 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Little Samuel Allen, after a sharp chase, was 
caught by a young Scatacook. The boy^s 
desperate resistance, as he fought his captor 
with teeth, nails, and feet, so won the Indian^s 
admiration, that he felt Samuel to be worth 
saving, to adopt and bring up as an Indian. 
Eunice ran with the speed of desperation, but 
at last was overtaken by an Indian, who drove 
his hatchet into her skull, leaving the little girl 
for dead as she fell prostrate, but in his haste 
not stopping to scalp her. 

Well did the Indians realize the need of haste. 
They knew that their guns, heard in Deerfield 
village, would bring pursuers straightway on 
their track. Two of them seized Samuel Allen 
by the arms and ran with him so fast that his 
feet did not touch the ground. Away the 
Indians sped, across the river and up its shores 
to the west, well satisfied to have added to their 
spoils one captive and six scalps, including that 
of Bliss, killed in Shelburne. 

Instant alarm was given in Deerfield by the 
distant sound of the firing. A number of men 
started to the rescue on horseback, lashing 
their horses to frantic speed. Othniel Taylor’s 
horse fell dead as he reached the place of the 
assault. All were horrified at the terrible sight 
of their friends’ bleeding, mangled bodies lying 


AT THE BARS. 


316 


scattered about on the ground. While some 
gave care to the bodies of the dead and tenderly 
raised the unconscious form of Eunice Allen, 
who was found to be still breathing, others 
pursued hotly on the track of the savages. 

As quickly as possible two parties rode out 
of Deerfield in pursuit of the Indians. One was 
led by Lieutenant Hoyt, the other by Lieuten- 
ant Joseph Clesson. Hoyt^s party followed the 
river, while Clesson’s cut across the hills to 
Charlemont, hoping possibly to intercept the 
Indians there. 

Much to his wife’s dismay, Captain Rice in- 
sisted on joining Clesson’s party. 

I must, anyway, go out and look after things 
at home,” he said. ‘^I can not rest easy until 
I know the state of things there. I fear the 
worst. Still we may have escaped damage by 
some providential interposition, but I must go 
and see for myself.” 

Great was the grief and excitement through- 
out the village when the bodies of Samuel Allen, 
Eleazer Hawks, Gillett, and the two Amsden 
boys were brought back to Deerfield, Caleb 
Allen riding behind one of the men as pale as 
his sister Eunice, whose bleeding, unconscious 
body was carefully borne in the arms of another 
rider. As little SamuePs body had not been 


316 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


found, no one knew his fate, whether killed or 
captured. 

Mrs. Allen’s sorrow was almost more than a 
woman’s heart could bear. Ministering to poor 
little Eunice, trying to save the life of this child 
still left, helped her somewhat. It was a 
merciful distraction to have something that 
must be done. Mrs. John Hawks, full of sym- 
pathy for her stricken relatives, trying to help 
them all she could, little dreamed that her own 
husband was even then a captive, each hour 
travelling farther and farther away on the road 
to Canada. 

The band of men under Lieutenant Clesson 
pushed on up and over the Shelburne hills with 
all possible speed, but did not succeed in over- 
taking the Indians. As they neared Rice’s 
home, traces of Indians along the trail thickened. 

^^I greatly fear. Captain Rice, that we shall 
find the savages have wrought serious harm on 
you,” said Lieutenant Clesson. 

It will be a miracle if they have done me no 
mischief,” said Rice. 

He rode eagerly ahead. As he came at last 
in sight of his home a scene of utter ruin and 
devastation burst upon him, worse even than 
he had imagined possible. The buttonball tree, 
its overhanging boughs scorched and shrivelled. 


AT THE BARS. 


317 


stood extending its arms into vacancy over a 
heap of blackened ruins where the house had 
been. House, barn, all the outbuildings were 
burned to the ground. With them had been 
consumed the captain^s summer crop of hay, 
three hundred bushels of grain already har- 
vested, a large quantity of clothing, provisions, 
furniture, and every tool, vehicle, or implement 
on the place. All fences were torn up and 
burned. All but the land was gone. 

As the men rode nearer, several wolves were 
seen running away towards the woods, and a 
flock of buzzards flew up. There lay the 
mangled carcasses of the captain^s seven cows 
and cattle and of his seven hogs strewn about 
on the bloody, trampled ground where the 
Indians had left them, after hastily slashing off 
some of the flesh. Tamar’s flower beds were 
trampled and ash-strewn. It was a scene of 
absolute devastation and ruin, of utter loss such 
as few indeed are called to bear. 

The captain stood looking at the blackened 
ruins in silence. 

Captain, I’m sorry for you,” said Clesson. 
^^It’s a terrible blow to you. What ruin and 
desolation have not these savages brought on 
our province, first and last, set on and abetted 
they are by the French!’^ 


318 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^The work of a lifetime — gone/^ said the 
captain in broken tones. But a moment later 
he added: ought not to complain when 

others have lost their dearest ones by the same 
bloody hands. Thank God that we were moved 
to leave when we did I Even a day^s delay 
might have cost the lives of my whole family 
and my own.’^ 

^^It was truly a providential deliverance, a 
most narrow escape for you all,’’ said Clesson. 

The thoughts of all the party now turned 
towards Fort Massachusetts. What was the 
condition of affairs there? Was the fort even 
now beleaguered? 

Resolved to learn immediately the actual state 
of affairs at the fort, Clesson with a few of his men 
rode off at once up the Cold River trail to go 
over Hoosac Mountain, while the rest, with 
whom went Captain Rice, returned to Deerfield, 
where the captain had the hard task of telling 
his wife and family of the ruin which had be- 
fallen them. Stunned by the blow, they hardly 
knew at first which way to turn. 

“ What can we do, Moses? What will become 
of us?” asked his wife. 

“We can only wait and see. The way will 
open,” said the captain. “ Let us at least thank 
God that our lives are spared. Had we re- 


AT THE BARS. 319 

mained longer at Charlemont it would have 
meant certain death or captivity for us alL^^ 

“I shudder to think of it/’ said Mrs. Rice. 
“God forgive me for murmuring at any hard- 
ships when we all still live.” 

Captain Rice found that Lieutenant Hoyt and 
party had returned from an unsuccessful pursuit 
of the Indian marauders, whose swiftness had 
enabled them to make their retreat in safety. 

Saturday afternoon, August 30, Clesson and 
his men returned from Fort Massachusetts, 
riding directly to Lieutenant Hoyt’s to report. 

“ What news from the fort? ” asked Lieutenant 
Hoyt eagerly, while, seeing the riders, people 
came running from every direction, gathering 
around the jaded looking men who had just 
ridden in. 

“ Fort Massachusetts is destroyed, gone, 
burned to the last log,” said Clesson. 

“And the garrison? Sergeant Hawks and 
Mr. Norton and the others; what of them?” 

“We know naught of them. They are all 
either slain or captured. There were no signs 
of life about the ruins. We rode on as swiftly as 
our horses could travel on that difficult path 
over the mountain. At last we reached a spot 
where we had a distant view of the fort. At 
the first glance we noticed that the cleared 


320 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ground around the fort was all white. We at 
once mistrusted that something was wrong. 

“ White? queried Hoyt. What could cause 
that?’^ 

“ The Indians had ripped up the feather beds, 
strewing the feathers all over the ground. We 
rode nearer until we saw plainly that the fort 
was burned to the ground. There was no sign 
of life stirring anywhere about it, save buz- 
zards and wild beasts feeding on the bodies of 
slaughtered cattle or men, we know not which. 
We were so few we thought it not prudent to 
go any farther, a useless exposure; so turned 
and rode home.’^ 

A dire calamity this,’’ said Hoyt. must 
despatch postriders forthwith to Colonel Stod- 
dard at Northampton and to Governor Shirley 
to inform them of it.” 

Friends went to Mrs. Hawks to break to 
her the news of her husband’s disappearance. 
Whether he were killed or captured no one 
knew. It was more than doubtful that she 
would ever see him again. 

^^If I could only hear from him, only know 
something about his fate or where he is,” said 
the grief-stricken Mrs. Hawks to the kind friends 
who tried to comfort her, though there was little 
for the most sympathetic to say. ^^But this 


Al’ THE BARS. 


321 


awful silence, these doubts, this dreadful un- 
certainty seem more than I can bear.” 

A post also carried the sad news to Fort 
Shirley, where Mrs. Norton and her children were 
awaiting the return of the husband and father. 

Luce ’Bijah, moved by the distress and sym- 
pathy filling all hearts in Deerfield at this time, 
composed a poem which attracted much atten- 
tion as the work of a wholly uneducated negro 
slave.^ 

On hearing of the destruction of Fort Massa- 
chusetts, Colonel Stoddard despatched a body 
of men under Captain Partridge of Hatfield to 
the fort, to learn the exact conditions there, 
and bury the dead. Captain Partridge buried 
the remains of Knowlton, and found Mr. Nor- 
ton's letter, still legible, clinging to the well post. 
But about the time of his return, on September 
11, all uncertainty as to the fate of the garrison 
at Fort Massachusetts was removed by a letter 
which Colonel Stoddard received and sent post- 
haste up to Deerfield. It had been written to 
him by Mr. Norton at Crown Point on Septem- 
ber 1, which place the captives had then reached. 
It was sent down by the French scouts to the 
frontiers, and finally reached Colonel Stoddard 
by way of Albany. 

1 Appendix D. 

21 


322 


BOYS OP THE BORDER. 


Mr. Norton^s letter gave a detailed account of 
the fight, the surrender of the fort, the terms of 
capitulation, reported the death of Knowlton 
and the wounding of Aldrich and Bridgman, 
and said that the rest of the garrison were alive, 
and that all were kindly treated by their cap- 
tors and had promise of exchange. 

This letter was the greatest relief to the 
friends of the captives. Mrs. Hawks and Mrs. 
Norton, in the reaction from their despair, felt 
something akin to joy. Now they might hope 
again. Their husbands were alive, and well, 
and kindly treated. Patience, and yet more 
patience, and then, by and by, in God’s good 
time, they should welcome them home again. 

In September great relief was given all New 
England by learning that the dreaded French 
fleet, which had been hovering all summer off 
the coast, owing to sickness and various dis- 
asters, had been obliged to sail back to France 
without striking a blow. The English regarded 
the French disasters as a wonderful display of 
providential power in their own behalf. 

The fall of Fort Massachusetts filled with 
consternation the people in all the little set- 
tlements along the Connecticut. Winchester, 
Keene, and Fort Hinsdale in New Hampshire 
were all abandoned. The settlers at the outlying 


AT THE BARS. 


323 


post at No. 4 were almost panic-stricken. The 
women and children, as well as most of the men, 
left in the early autumn, but six men remain- 
ing in the fort. In January these six men, 
perhaps frightened by some signs of Indians in 
the vicinity, decided to depart. In the haste of 
their leaving they took no thought of the dog 
and cat, and the two little creatures were left 
alone in the abandoned fort. 

The Rices decided to return for the present 
to their former home at Rutland. Here the 
captain^s oldest son, Samuel, and his family were 
still residing. Samuel had expected to join his 
father at Charlemont, but the war had broken 
up all such plans. 

There is no possibility of our returning to 
Charlemont until the war is ended,” said the 
captain to Lieutenant Hoyt in discussing his 
plans for the future. ^^My land is left. The 
savages could nT destroy that, thank the Lord, 
though they would if they could. Some time, 
God willing, when the war is ended, I may pluck 
up heart to return and start all over again.” 

I do not wonder that you feel disheartened. 
Captain,” said Lieutenant Hoyt. ^^But we 
shall all hope to see you back again as soon as 
it is safe for you to venture. You are always 
sure of a warm welcome in Deerfield.” 


324 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


And SO the Rices, who had ridden hopefully 
up the Bay path to found their new home but 
three short years ago, now rode sorrowfully 
back again to Rutland, where they were re- 
ceived in the home of their son. 

Aaron, however, remained behind. In De- 
cember he rode out again over the familiar 
road to Charlemont, stopping at the old home- 
stead. He looked at the blackened cellar hole, 
at the charred logs strewing the pleasant hill- 
side under the buttonball tree, which seemed 
consciously lonely and deserted, stretching out 
its branches above the ruins as if it yearned for 
the friendly human companionship it had so 
long shared. 

So at least it seemed to Aaron as he sat 
sadly on his horse, contemplating the ruin be- 
fore him, the pitiful end of so many toils and 
hopes, while the bleak December wind whistled 
around him, wailing through the tall pines on 
the hill, and wildly lashing and creaking the 
buttonbalPs bare, scorched limbs. 

Then he turned his horse and rode along the 
path beside Mill Brook, up the steep ascent of 
South Mountain, and on to Fort Pelham; for 
Aaron had enlisted as one of the garrison there. 


CHAPTER XXL 


CLOSING EVENTS OF THE WAR. 

A lthough the year 1747 opened so 
gloomily, Massachusetts was still resolved 
to maintain the border forts. In February, 
Capt. Phineas Stevens wrote Governor Shirley, 
urging that Forts Massachusetts and No. 4 be 
maintained, their existence being vital to the 
safety of the settlements below, saying: 

If anything be done it should be done early 
in the spring, as it is evident from past experi- 
ence that the enemy will be down by the first 
of April.^’ 

Accordingly Captain Stevens, with a com- 
pany of thirty soldiers, was sent north to Fort 
No. 4 as soon as the snow disappeared, the last 
week in March. 

As they drew near the site of the abandoned 
fort. Captain Stevens said: 

I wonder much if we shall find the fort still 
standing.” 

It will be a miracle if the savages have not 
destroyed it,” said his lieutenant. 


326 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Coming out of the woods, eagerly straining 
their eyes for some sign of the fort, lo, there it 
was seen still standing unharmed ! 

^^This is good fortune beyond my fondest 
hopes,” said Captain Stevens. Providence 
has certainly smiled upon us.” 

In good spirits the men pushed open the gates 
to enter the fort. What was their amazement 
when out came running joyfully to welcome 
them Towser and Tonmiy, the deserted dog 
and cat! Thin, rough, and ragged in coat, but 
still alive, the little creatures capered for joy at 
seeing once more their friends. 

How they had managed to exist no one 
could imagine. But somehow, probably by 
hunting, they had contrived to keep life in their 
little bodies here alone during two months of 
winter in this northern wilderness. The sol- 
diers hastened to feed with their best the brave 
little animals who had held the deserted fort 
when every one else had abandoned it, and 
Towser and Tommy were petted and pampered 
enough to atone, partly at least, for all their 
hardships, and their fame has gone into history. 

In April, Capt. William Williams of Deerfield 
was sent to rebuild Fort Massachusetts, taking 
with him two companies of soldiers, and aided 
also by some of the men from Fort Shirley, 


CLOSING EVENTS OE THE WAR. 327 

where Capt. Ephraim Williams was still posted, 
in command of the line of forts. The work was 
finished by the last of May. Even while the 
work was going on a party of one hundred 
men, who had been to Albany for supplies, on 
their return were attacked by a large body of 
French and Indians lying in ambush near the 
fort. The workers at the fort rushed out to 
the aid of their friends, and the enemy, being 
between two fires, were repulsed after a sharp 
skirmish. 

Captain Stevenses prediction, that the enemy 
would be around soon after April 1, was soon 
verified. The morning of April 3 it was 
noticed that Towser and the other dogs brought 
by the soldiers to Fort No. 4 were much ex- 
cited, barking and running to and fro. 

“ Those dogs scent Indians or I ’m badly mis- 
taken/^ said one of the soldiers. 

^^I’m going out to reconnoitre, with Captain 
Stevens’s good leave,” said another. 

Captain Stevens and the garrison were at 
once on the alert. Cautiously opening the gate, 
this man was suffered to go out with the dogs. 
He went about twenty rods. All seemed quiet. 
He discharged his musket, at the same time 
sending forward the dogs. The enemy, think- 
ing themselves discovered, sprang up from be- 


328 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


hind logs, firing at the venturesome man, who, 
though wounded, managed to beat a swift 
retreat to the fort. 

On all sides the fort now swarmed the enemy, 
with the usual whoops and yells pouring in 
their fire. The struggle lasted three days. The 
enemy set fire to a hut and fence to the wind- 
ward of the fort. The brisk spring wind bore 
the smoke and flames directly down upon it. 
Built of dry pine logs, it would soon have gone 
but for the quick wit of Captain Stevens. He 
set his men to digging eleven ditches under the 
walls, so deep that, standing in them without, 
the men were yet protected from the enemy^s 
fire. The soldiers in the fort kept up a brisk 
firing, while men inside handed out buckets of 
water to those without, who thus managed 
to keep the fort walls saturated. Several hun- 
dred barrels of water from the fort well were 
thus used. 

On the third day, unable either to force or 
induce Stevens and his men to surrender, M. 
Debeline abandoned the siege and withdrew his 
forces. 

When news of this gallant defence reached 
Boston, Sir Charles Knowles, in command of 
the British ships there, sent Captain Stevens a 
fine sword. When the town was incorporated. 



“ (Jn all sides the fort now swarmed the enemy.” Page 328 




4 


CLOSING EVENTS OF THE WAR. 329 

in 1753, the compliment was returned by nam- 
ing it Charlestown^^ after the commodore. 

Debehne^s forces, after leaving No. 4, burned 
the deserted settlements at the Ashuelots and 
Winchester, and lying in ambush north of 
Northfield killed two men. 

The captives taken at Fort Massachusetts, 
hard though their lot at best, yet met with 
unexpected kindness from their captors. The 
women and children and the wounded were 
carried much of the way. On the second day 
of the march, Mrs. Smead gave birth to a 
daughter, whom Mr. Norton baptized as Cap- 
tivity.^^ On a carrying frame of poles, covered 
with deer and b^ar skins, Mrs. Smead and baby 
Captivity were borne on the shoulders of two 
men. Wednesday, a week after their capture, 
the captives reached the French Fort St. Fred- 
eric at Crown Point. 

On the following Sunday the band of sixty 
Indians who had made the onslaught at the 
Bars came into the fort in triumph, bringing 
their six scalps and the captive boy, httle 
Samuel Allen. 

Mr. Norton and his uncle. Sergeant Hawks, 
were allowed to talk with the boy, who looked 
forlorn and pitiful, and seemed bewildered by 
his strange experiences. 


330 BOYS OF THE BORDER. 

^^What was said in Deerfield about the cap- 
ture of Fort Massachusetts? What was being 
done about it?^^ asked Mr. Norton. 

^^None in Deerfield had heard of the fortes 
capture that morning when I was taken/’ said 
Samuel. 

^^Is it possible?” exclaimed Mr. Norton. 

^^How was my wife?” eagerly asked Sergeant 
Hawks. 

saw Aunt Elizabeth that morning as I 
was starting for the Bars,” said Samuel. ^^She 
was standing in the doorway laughing and talk- 
ing with my mother as we rode off.” 

^^Poor woman!” said Hawks. 

The interview was soon interrupted, for 
Samuel’s Scatacook master, jealous at this con- 
ference with the boy’s uncle, hurried him away. 
He was taken to St. Francis, the same Indian 
village where that other boy captive from Deer- 
field, Stephen Williams, had gone forty years 
previous. The other captives were taken by the 
usual route, up Lake Champlain and the Riche- 
lieu, reaching Quebec September 15, where they 
were placed in the prisoners’ house,” a large 
building in which were then confined one hun- 
dred and five English prisoners. 

^^Here,” says Mr. Norton in his journal, “we 
had the free liberty of the exercise of our reli- 


CLOSING EVENTS OF THE WAR. 331 

gion together, which was matter of comfort to 
us in our affliction. Sergeant Hawks and my- 
self were put in the captain’s room.” 

The prisoners were well treated, and might 
perhaps have been fairly comfortable but for 
a terrible fever which broke out, a ship fever 
brought into the prison by some English who 
had been prisoners on two French men-of-war. 
The fever spread rapidly. Now began a sad 
series of deaths, recorded as the days went on 
in Chaplain Norton’s diary. Of the thirty cap- 
tives taken at Fort Massachusetts, fifteen died 
in the Quebec prison, — nine of the soldiers, the 
three women, Mrs. Scott, Perry, and Smead, 
John Smead’s two sons, Daniel and John, Jr., 
and his baby Captivity.^ 

On July 25, 1747, Sergeant Hawks, Mr. Nor- 
ton, and most of the captives from Fort Massa- 
chusetts still living boarded the ship Vierge de 
Grace for Boston, where they arrived on August 
16, almost a year to a day since their capture. 
The sick and feeble were taken to a hospital, 
while the others received from the people of 
Boston every kindness. But the returned cap- 
tives were not disposed to tarry. Hawks has- 

1 John Smead, the faithful soldier, who had borne so many hard 
trials, was killed by Indians, seven weeks after his return from Can- 
ada, near the mouth of Miller’s River. 


332 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


tened home to Deerfield, and Mr. Norton to 
the hills of Heath to rejoin his family in Fort 
Shirley. 

The joy of reunion was saddened by the 
death of baby Anna Norton, which had occurred 
in August, shortly before the father^s return. 
On the bleak hillside outside the fort was a 
little grave, marked by a rough stone, on which 
some one, perhaps one of the soldiers, had rudely 
cut an inscription. 

Rev. John Norton was afterwards settled in 
East Hampton, Conn., and long after Fort 
Shirley had ceased to be, tradition says that 
a sohtary woman from Connecticut, probably 
Eunice Norton, was wont to come up to visit 
the grave of the baby sister on the lonely hill- 
side, shut in by all-surrounding woods. After 
standing there one hundred and forty years 
the rude gravestone was taken to Clark Hall 
Museum at Williams College. Recently a small 
marble stone, bearing the old inscription, has 
been sent over from Williamstown and set up 
to mark that baby^s grave of long ago. 

Sergeant Hawks was not long suffered to re- 
main at home. Soon after his return he was 
put in conunand of the Northfield forts. But 
events ere long took him again to Canada. 
On the 16th of October, Capt. Ebenezer Alex- 


CLOSING EVENTS OF THE WAR. 333 

ander and two others, returning from the Ashue- 
lots to Northfield, in Winchester met some cattle 
running as if frightened. Presently they saw a 
man in French uniform coming in the path. 
On seeing the Englishmen he jumped behind a 
tree, but not before Captain Alexander had 
fired, wounding the Frenchman in the breast. 
He advanced towards them to surrender, but 
they, misinterpreting his action, and expecting 
that their shot would bring a party of French 
and Indians immediately upon them, hastened 
away, leaving the Frenchman where he fell, 
fainting, on the ground. 

The band of Indians who were near came at 
once on hearing the gun, 'but, thinking their 
leader dead or dying and fearing pursuit, de- 
parted for Canada, where they reported him 
dead. The young Frenchman belonged to a 
prominent family in Canada, being Pierre Raim- 
boult St. Blein, a grandson of the governor-gen- 
eral of Montreal. 

After his double desertion, by friends and foe, 
St. Blein revived and wandered feebly about 
the woods, living on nuts and cranberries for 
four days, when he struck the Northfield path 
and came into the settlement, making sign of 
surrender to the first man he met, who, oddly 
enough, proved to be the very Captain Alex- 


334 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ander who had shot him. Rev. Benjamin Doo- 
little, the Northfield minister, was a skilled sur- 
geon and doctor as well as preacher, and under 
his care young St. Blein so far recovered as to 
be able to go to Boston in a month. Here his 
charms of person and manner made him a great 
favorite with the Boston ladies. 

In November, forty Indians under De Lon- 
gueuil surprised some men near No. 4, killing 
several and taking one captive. From this 
prisoner De Longueuil learned that St. Blein 
was still alive and in Boston, and he bore the 
news to the French governor at Quebec. 

St. Blein meantime was working hard to 
effect his own release. He proposed to Gov- 
ernor Shirley that he should be exchanged for 
Samuel Allen and Nathan Blake of Ashuelot. 
Governor Shirley appointed Sergeant Hawks to 
take St. Blein back to Canada and secure the 
exchange of prisoners. With Hawks went 
Matthew Clesson and John Taylor of Deerfield. 

The four men were fitted out with provisions 
for the trip at Deerfield by the commissary. 
Col. William Williams. Each man had sixty 
pounds of provisions, chiefly stewed peas thick- 
ened with flour and dried. Carrying this bur- 
den, in addition to blankets, etc., they set 
forth on snowshoes February 8 for the difficult 


CLOSING EVENTS OF THE WAR. 335 

winter journey of three hundred miles to Canada, 
mostly through unbroken forests. Governor 
Shirley had wished them to go by way of Albany, 
but, as St. Blein had not yet recovered full 
strength. Hawks chose a shorter route. 

After two days they reached No. 4, and 
thence went up the Black River, over the Green 
Mountains and down Otter Creek to Lake 
Champlain, then up the lake and the Richeheu 
on the ice to Montreal. There they arrived 
Feb. 27, 1747. The first day out from 
No. 4 they were escorted by a party from the 
fort, among whom was a spirited Scotch-Irish 
youth of eighteen named John Stark, destined 
to become famous in later history. They 
camped that first night in the present town of 
Cavendish, Vt., on a height since called for this 
reason Hawks Mountain.’’ 

.On this route they had no road but the 
Indian trails, no guide but the rivers and their 
compass. At night they camped on beds of 
spruce boughs on the snow, eating their meagre 
food, which barely sustained life. 

Near Quebec, Hawks and his party stopped 
at the home of St. Blein on the banks of the St. 
Lawrence, where St. Blein was received by his 
rejoicing family as one literally restored from 
the dead. His father was anxious to lavish 


336 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


attentions on Hawks and the others, but their 
business was too pressing to admit of unneces- 
sary delay. On their return to Montreal, how- 
ever, they stopped at the St. Bleins\ A great 
entertainment was given by the grateful family, 
where wine flowed freely, and feasting and danc- 
ing were kept up all night, a novel and exciting 
scene to the staid Englishmen. St. Blein is 
said to have presented Hawks with a choicely 
ornamented pipe and tobacco pouch in token 
of his gratitude. 

Of course Sergeant Hawks was most anxious 
to secure the release of his little nephew, Samuel 
Allen. It was for this he had chiefly under- 
taken this hard trip to Canada. But for a 
long time he was unable to get any trace of the 
boy. The Indian who had captured and 
adopted Samuel loved him as his own child 
and was determined to retain him. The gov- 
ernor used in vain every means in his power to 
discover the boy and return him to his uncle. 

One day, as Hawks sat in the governor's 
house, gloomily wondering if he must give up 
his search and return to Deerfield without the 
boy, he noticed a squawks blanketed head thrust 
within the door, then quickly withdrawn. This 
was twice repeated. Then it occurred to Hawks 
that the squaw might have some errand to him. 


CLOSING EVENTS OF THE WAR. 337 

Her face seemed familiar. Surely he had seen 
her somewhere before. 

When again she thrust her head within the 
door he motioned her to enter. Now he recog- 
nized her as Kichkenechequah, the old squaw 
whose wigwam had stood near his brother-in- 
law^s house at the Bars. 

Looking cautiously around, to be sure none 
overheard, the squaw whispered: 

'^You seek Samuel Allen. Indian woman 
know his father. Indian woman know his 
mother. Indian woman bring Samuel to his 
white uncle. 

Then, warning him to keep silence, she slipped 
away, and soon returned dragging the little 
captive. Kichkenechequah, having thus repaid 
the kindness shown her and her son long ago 
by the Allens, silently vanished. 

To his uncle^s joyous greeting, Samuel made 
no response. Although he had lived but 
eighteen months with the Indians, he had 
already acquired many of their habits and 
ideas. He pretended not to recognize his 
uncle and refused to speak English, pretending 
he had forgotten it. In short, he preferred 
to remain with his Indian father, and Sergeant 
Hawks was obliged to drag him away, much 
against the boy^s will. 


22 


338 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


With great difficulty Hawks secured the re- 
lease of Nathan Blake. The Indians, admiring 
Blake for his strength and courage, his skill in 
running, etc., had adopted him to fill the place 
of a dead chief. They finally consented to let 
him go, if he would first build them a house 
like those of the English. With great labor and 
inadequate tools, Blake succeeded in splitting 
boards out of logs and completed his task, 
being then released. 

Fearing that the Indians, so reluctant to 
part with Samuel and Blake, would pursue 
them to rescue the ransomed captives. Hawks 
and his party hastened their departure, securing 
from the governor the services of young St. 
Blein as escort to the frontier. They returned 
by the same route taken in going to Canada, 
using many precautions to puzzle and throw 
off their track the Indians who they strongly 
mistrusted were following them. 

At the Great Falls they made a raft, on which 
they glided down stream in the night, reaching 
Fort Dummer at nine o^clock the next morning. 
We can fancy the sullen, half Indian Samuel, 
gliding along on this raft, eagerly eying thicket 
and woods for some sign that his Indian friends 
were coming to his rescue. 

From Fort Dummer, Blake set joyfully off 


CLOSING EVENTS OP THE WAR. 339 

for Upper Ashuelot to join his friends, while 
Hawks, Clesson, Taylor, and Samuel con- 
tinued on the raft to Northfield, where they 
lodged the night of April 29, and where their 
arrival with the captive boy was an event of 
intense interest and excitement. 

The morning of April 30 they set out on 
horseback for Deerfield, escorted by many of 
their Northfield friends. Halfway from North- 
field to Deerfield they met Colonel Williams of 
Deerfield and about twenty others from that 
town riding up to escort Hawks and his party 
home. 

It was a glad reunion. Great must have been 
Sergeant Hawkses satisfaction and relief that he 
had made this difficult journey in safety, had 
eluded his pursuers and reclaimed his nephew. 
He recorded in the diary kept by him on this 
trip: 

We delivered our little traveller to his 
mother, and had the pleasure of seeing a poor, 
disconsolate mother made joyful beyond ex- 
pression by the reception of her son from a 
miserable captivity.” 

Samuel Allen lived to a good old age, ninety- 
five years. It is interesting to know that to 
his dying day he stoutly maintained that the 
Indian manner of life was the happiest. 


340 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


What was the subtle charm of Indian life, 
overriding all its hardships? Was it that in- 
stinctive love of nature, of simplicity, of the 
wild wood, which lends fascination to modern 
camp life? Was it the freedom from the stern 
restraint of the Puritan domestic and religious 
customs of the time? We cannot tell, but cer- 
tain it is that other redeemed captives are 
known to have shared Samuel Alienas pref- 
erence for the Indian life. 


CHAPTER XXIL 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 

T he rest of the year 1748 saw repeated in- 
roads of small bands of the enemy on the 
settlements of western Massachusetts, in which 
many were killed, wounded, or captured. Im- 
portant events were Melvin’s Scout, and Hobbs’s 
Fight on the head-waters of the Green River. 
Oct. 7, 1748, a treaty of peace between France 
and England was signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, 
though not proclaimed at Boston until the fol- 
lowing May. 

The conditions of this treaty were most un- 
satisfactory. To the intense disgust of the New 
England people, the fortress of Louisburg, 
captured chiefly by their prowess, was restored 
to the French. All felt that this so-called treaty 
of peace was rather a patched-up truce, and 
that war would inevitably soon be resumed. 

Captain Rice, who had remained in Rutland 
during the war, returned to Charlemont with 
some of his sons early in 1749, and rebuilt his 
home on the site of his former house, under the 


342 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


buttonball tree. Later in the year his whole 
family returned there to live. 

Their three years of absence had wrought 
some changes among the Rices. Dinah had 
married Joseph Stevens of Rutland, but later 
returned to Charlemont to live; Sylvanus was 
now twenty; Tamar, a blooming young maiden 
of seventeen, and Artemas a tall youth of fifteen. 
In brief, the Rice children had grown up, in a 
fashion that children have. Bose, a feeble old 
dog now, but still brave and loyal to his friends 
and their interests, returned with the family. 

All were glad to return to their old home, 
and rejoiced because Othniel and Jonathan 
Taylor had moved out to settle on their land, 
about five miles down the Deerfield from the 
Rices\ 

And the very next year the Hawks brothers, 
Gershom, Seth, and Joshua, settled upon their 
land, a mile or so west of the Rices^ so that now 
there were three groups of families living within 
a range of seven miles along the Deerfield, mak- 
ing the Rices feel much less isolated. As Mrs. 
Rice often said : 

“It does seem so good to have neighbors. 
And, now our children are grown up, I enjoy 
seeing Othniel Taylor’s youngsters running 
around when I go down there.” 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 


343 


Her heart was soon to be gladdened by the 
advent of grandchildren of her own, for in 1752 
the captain^s oldest son, Samuel, moved to 
Charlemont to live, with his wife and three 
little boys, Moses, Asa, and Martin. A house 
was built for him on the meadows below his 
father^s, and the little grandsons were the idols 
of the captain and his wife, living quite as much 
at their grandfather’s as at home, and keeping 
the whole house animated. 

Other settlers began to come into Charle- 
mont, the Whites and others. In 1752 the 
restless Green River district of Deerfield was 
incorporated and set up in hfe as a town by 
itself, under the name of Greenfield.” Two 
Deerfield men, Catlin and Ryder, had settled 
near the falls in Deerfield Northwest. Every- 
where around the settlements were growing. No 
wonder Captain Rice felt that all his bright 
hopes and predictions forthe future of this newre- 
gion were beginning to be verified. He often said : 

told you so. I knew that these fertile 
unoccupied lands along the Deerfield were sure 
to be in demand by settlers who had eyes in 
their heads.” 

In 1753 Aaron Rice built both a cornmill and 
a sawmill on Mill Brook, and the settlers took 
steps towards laying out some highways and 


344 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


erecting a meeting-house of their own, and a 
young minister, Rev. Eleazer May from Wethers- 
field, Connecticut, preached two Sundays in 
Charlemont as a candidate. The frame for the 
meeting-house was erected, but the building was 
never completed, for fears of another war now 
began to disturb the people. 

The French had improved the interval of 
peace steadily to push their cordon of forts and 
settlements westward, along the lakes and down 
the Ohio River, encroaching boldly on land 
claimed by the English, and threatening, if 
unmolested, to possess the whole continent west 
of the Alleghenies. 

In 1753 the governor sent a young Virginia 
surveyor, named George Washington, over the 
mountains to learn what the French were doing. 
Washington was told that the territory belonged 
to France, and would be held by her against 
all comers. 

In 1754 young Washington, now a major, 
was again sent, with troops, into the disputed 
territory to drive out the invaders, but was 
repulsed. The Indians now resumed depre- 
dations all along the frontiers, and it was evident 
that another war with France was inevitable. 

The Rices were greatly disturbed when they 
found themselves on the brink of another war. 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 


345 


“ We might as well give up here and go back 
to Rutland/^ said Mrs. Rice. never can 
live through such a strain as I endured here in 
the last war.’^ 

"'You forget, mother, said the captain, 
'Hhat the whole situation has changed. We 
are no longer here alone. We have quite a 
little settlement here now; neighbors all about 
us, and the settlements to the north have grown 
so much we are no longer so exposed.^’ 

“Yes, and Pm grown up too now, mother. 
You have another soldier to fight for you,’^ said 
Artemas. “Pll help make it lively for any 
Indians that come around here, I promise you.” 
And Artemas banged an imaginary gun at 
Tamar, who was just entering the room. 

Mrs. Rice laughed. Then the anxious look 
returned to her face, and she said : 

“But you say, Moses, that the government 
has ordered Fort Pelham and Fort Shirley to be 
abandoned.” 

“ Yes, because they were felt to be of little use. 
But Fort Massachusetts is to be strengthened 
and more soldiers stationed there. The best 
news is that Capt. Ephraim Williams is to take 
command there in person. Sergeant Hawks 
has been put in command of the Colerain forts. 
And we here at Charlemont are to fortify our 


346 


BOrS OF THE BORDER. 


houses, and some soldiers will be stationed here. 
I shall go at the work immediately. I had 
hoped to see our meeting-house done, but that 
will have to wait now until the war is over.’’ 

Captain Rice was aided not only by his four 
stalwart sons, but by Titus King, who had re- 
turned with the family, and Phineas Arms of 
Deerfield. The captain owned so much land 
and had so many important interests that he 
needed much help, and Phineas had ^^gone out 
West” to seek his fortune, as young men still 
do, only the western wilderness then lay much 
nearer eastern homes than now. 

The Rice house on the hillside was soon well 
fortified, intended to be a refuge for Samuel 
Rice and family and others, in case of attack. 
The Taylor brothers moved their log houses 
near together, surrounding and connecting them 
by a palisade of log pickets, building within 
the enclosure a watch box and a mount, com- 
manding a wide view of the country up and 
down the river. The Hawks brothers moved 
their houses together and fortified them in like 
fashion. 

The captain was also cheered by hearing that 
an effort was to be made to unite all the colonies 
in a union for common plans of defence. Hith- 
erto each colony had done the best it could alone. 


PICKETS 


RETURN OF THE RICES 


347 


O. TAYLOR’S 
HOUSE 


1 I 

4 , TAYLOR’S 
HOUSE 


CT 

WATCH BOX 


O 

WELL 


80 FEET 


MOUNT 


PICKETS 


PLAN OF TAYLOR FORT 



348 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


and men and material were often wasted and 
plans came to naught for lack of co-operation. 

In June, 1754, delegates from all the New 
England colonies and from New York, Pennsyl- 
vania, and Maryland met at Albany to consider 
plans for united action against the common foe. 
Benjamin Franklin was prominent in this con- 
vention. This gathering was the germ of the 
United States, though no one then dreamed of 
such an outcome. 

Captain Rice was very sanguine about the 
result of this convention. 

If we of the colonies can arrange to have a 
sort of parliament of our own in this country, 
where we can make our own plans, raise our 
own troops, fit out our own ships, and co-operate 
with each other as we see to be best, it will be 
a wonderful help to us. Now, while we delay 
to send to England for instructions and wait 
for an answer, the whole situation may have 
changed. And the home government cannot 
understand the situation as we do who are on 
the spot.^’ 

Do you suppose the king and his council will 
consent to any such plan?’^ asked Aaron. 

I base all my hopes on Benjamin Franklin, 
said the captain. ^^Poor Richard knows a 
thing or two. A man that can tame the light- 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 349 

ning and bring it down at his beck and call can 
manage the king and council, I guess.’^ 

But the captain’s hopes were destined to 
disappointment. The king and council re- 
jected the plans drawn up by the convention at 
Albany as giving too much power to the Amer- 
ican people; and the war was conducted in 
the old haphazard, methodless manner. But 
the idea of a union of the colonies had been 
broached. A seed was planted destined to 
germinate and bear fruit ere many years. 

Mrs. Rice was much disturbed when she 
heard the captain tell Artemas that he must 
ride over to Fort Massachusetts with meal from 
Aaron’s mill for the fort. 

Surely you are not going to let that boy ride 
over to the fort alone, Moses,” she protested. 

He is n’t going alone, grandma. I ’m going 
with him,” spoke up Moses, Samuel Rice’s oldest 
son, a sturdy boy of twelve. 

You I ” exclaimed his grandmother. Worse 

and worse I” 

Grandpa promised me I might go,” said 
Moses, clinging to the hope that nothing, not 
even his grandmother’s protests, could induce 
his indulgent grandfather to disappoint him. 

“You must be crazy, Moses, to think of letting 
those boys take that trip alone.” 


350 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“ Well, Sarah, it is Hobson’s choice with me. 
Captain Williams has ordered the meal of 
Aaron and needs it, and it must be sent over 
right away. I’m as busy as I can be; have 
plenty of work for every man I can lay hands 
on. I can spare Artemas more easily than any 
of the others.” 

“And I want to go awfully, mother,” said 
Artemas. “I want to see the fort.” 

“Of course,” said his mother. “But to take 
that child Moses along!” 

“Moses can ride a steady horse as well as 
any one,” said the captain, “and his going saves 
sending another man. Moses is a likely boy, 
if he is my namesake. Give the boy a chance, 
Sarah, to see and do and be something. Boys 
can’t always be tied to their mother’s apron- 
strings, or their grandmother’s either, if they 
are going to be good for anything. ^ The sleep- 
ing fox catches no poultry.’ Give the boys a 
chance, Sarah.” 

When the two boys set off early next morn- 
ing, their horses laden with meal bags, Asa, 
Moses’s younger brother, stood under the button- 
ball tree watching them until they disappeared 
up the path to the west, well worn now by fre- 
quent travel to the Hawkses’ and Fort Massa- 
chusetts. 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 


351 


“I wish I were going with them,” said Asa. 

'' I wonder your grandfather did n't let you, 
Asa,” said Mrs. Rice. ^^It is hard for him to 
say ‘no' to you children.” 

“Grandpa says every dog has his day, and 
my day's coming,” said Asa. “I only hope it 
will come pretty quick. I can ride as well as 
Moses.” 

“You're grandma's dear boy,” said Mrs. 
Rice, looking fondly at the little fellow. “I 
could n't get along without you.” 

“ Give me two pails, grandma, and I 'll bring 
up some water for you from the spring,” said 
Asa. 

“ One pail will do for a boy of your size,” said 
Mrs. Rice. “Aunt Tamar will take the other.” 

Tamar and Asa ran a race down to the spring, 
and Tamar lent a helping hand to the overfull 
pail that Asa insisted on tugging up the hill. 

Artemas and Moses enjoyed their long ride 
up the Cold River trail, across Hoosac Moun- 
tain, and down into the valley where stood 
Fort Massachusetts. They stayed a day at the 
fort to rest before returning, and the two wide- 
awake boys saw and heard much that interested 
them in and about the new fort. 

They especially enjoyed watching the soldiers 
practise shooting at a mark. They had a hoop 


352 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


covered with deerskin; a soldier went up the 
hill north of the fort and sent the hoop rolling 
down. Bang, bang went the guns as each 
soldier tried to hit the swiftly rolling hoop before 
it reached the bottom of the hill. 

^^Why are you doing that?’^ asked Artemas. 

^^To train us to shoot Indians running/’ was 
the answer. They ’ll have to run mighty fast 
if they get away from Bass yonder. He’s the 
best marksman among us. He does n’t try at 
the hoop any more. That’s mere child’s play 
for him.” 

Artemas gazed with respect on Bass, standing 
one side, watching the others, laughing at some 
of the wide shots of his comrades. He soon 
had a chance to see what Bass could do with 
a gun. 

Two hawks were seen flying overhead high up 
in the sky. Bass shot one, then seized a gun 
from a comrade’s hand and shot the other 
before the first dropped to the ground. 

A ringing cheer went up, but Bass picked up 
his two hawks with the matter-of-course air of 
one who could do greater things if opportunity 
offered. 

“I shall practise firing at a rolling hoop 
covered with deerskin when we get home,” 
said Artemas. 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 


353 


I ^11 roll it down hill for you, Uncle Artemas/^ 
said Moses, if you ’ll let me have a try at it too.” 

'^Of course,” said Artemas. 

In the evening the boys sat around an open 
fire in one of the barrack rooms and listened to 
various stories of their experiences told by the 
soldiers in this remote border fort. One story 
called out another. 

saved my bacon once pretty closely by 
outwitting some Indians,” said one of the men. 

I was in garrison then at Fort No. 4, under 
Captain Stevens. One day he sent four of 
us out on a scout to the north. As the day 
went on we all made up our minds we were 
followed by Indians. We did n’t see or hear 
anything, but somehow we were sure of it.” 

^^Felt it in your bones, I guess,” said a 
comrade. 

^^Just so. When night came we built our 
camp-fire as usual, as if we had no suspicions of 
Indians around. But, instead of lying down 
by it, we cut logs of wood about our size, 
wrapped our blankets around them, and laid 
them around the fire. In the dim light (we were 
careful not to have too bright a fire) the logs 
looked like men camped down with their feet 
to the fire. Then we all hid in the woods and 
watched. 


23 


354 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


“ It was n’t long before there was a flash and 
whang of muskets through the darkness, and 
then out of the woods into the circle around 
the fire sprang a band of Indians with trium- 
phant whoops, thinking they had surprised us 
asleep.” 

^'Then you had them exactly where you 
wanted them,” said one of the soldiers. 

^^Yes, they were out in the light, while we 
were snugly hid behind trees. We peppered 
them well till those left ran for their lives like 
hunted deer. We received a fine bounty for 
the dead Indians, and Captain Stevens was 
pleased, you may depend.” 

Nat Nichols and John Brown of our garrison 
had a pretty close call when out scouting the 
other day,” said another speaker, turning to 
Artemas. ^^They were scouting over towards 
Pontoosuc when they came on the trail of some 
Indians. They followed it along cautiously 
until they came to a high rocky ridge, on which 
they walked. Presently down below them in 
the woods they saw an Indian. He was stand- 
ing bent over with his foot on a log, fixing his 
moccasins, in the midst of a lot of tall brakes. 

Nat is a young fellow apt to take rash risks. 
That Indian was too tempting a mark for Nat, 
and he blazed away at him without taking 


RETURN OF THE RICES. 


355 


much thought of the consequences. The boys 
saw the Indian leap into the air and fall dead. 
Instantly up from under those brakes popped 
a band of fifty or more Indians! John fired off 
his gun at them, and then he and Nat ran for 
their lives, the Indians after them, whooping 
for vengeance. 

^^When the boys reached the end of the 
rocky ridge they dropped off into a thicket 
of low-growing hemlocks below and lay still. 
The Indians dashed by on a run, whooping 
fiercely. The boys dared not stir until after 
dark, when they cautiously worked their way 
back to the fort. A party that was sent out 
next day found two dead Indians in the brakes. 
But the boys ought not to have taken such a 
risk. They ran more than ten chances to one 
for their lives.’^ 

It was very entertaining to sit by the fire 
safe within the fort and hear these stories, but 
they gave Artemas some uneasiness about his 
homeward trip over the mountain. The soldiers, 
however, assured him that they had discovered 
no traces of Indians in that direction, and Cap- 
tain Williams considerately sent three men on 
a scout over the Hoosac, who escorted the boys 
part way home, where they arrived in safety, full 
of stories of all they had seen and heard. 


CHAPTER XXIIL . 


THE END. 

S OON after Artemas’s trip to Fort Massa- 
chusetts general alarm was caused through- 
out the colony by the capture at No. 4 of 
Ebenezer Farnsworth, the Johnson family, and 
two others by eleven Indians of the St. Francis 
tribe. Extra forces were sent to the border forts 
and ^Hhirty-eight pair of Indian shoes for the 
scouts at Fort Massachusetts, and a deerskin 
to mend them with.’^ 

glad enough,’’ said Artemas, 'Hhat 
Moses and I had our trip to the fort before we 
heard of this Indian raid at No. 4, for we should 
never have been allowed to go after mother 
heard of that.” 

“You would n’t have wanted to go, I guess,” 
said Tamar. 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” said Artemas. “ I don’t 
think I should have minded.” 

“They that know nothing fear nothing,” 
said his mother. “You were so young at the 
time of the onslaught at the Bars I suppose it 


THE END. 


357 


made little impression on your mind. But 
those who know the horrors of an Indian attack 
can never forget the impression.^^ 

A happy event in the Rice family that 
autumn, doing much to divert their minds for 
the time from the alarms of war, was the mar- 
riage of Aaron on November 5 to Freedom 
French, daughter of Thomas French of Deer- 
field. The Rices had long known Freedom in 
their frequent visits to Deerfield, and gladly 
welcomed her as one of their family. 

It was a happy company that rode down the 
winding path beside the river to attend the 
wedding at Deerfield, and many were the jokes 
coming back, Aaron bringing his fair bride on 
the pillion behind him. 

Artemas, whose sharp eyes had observed that 
during the wedding festivities Sylvanus and 
pretty Esther Nims were never far apart, made 
his brother blush furiously ^by ruthlessly calling 
out: 

^^Say, Sylvanus, donT you wish you were 
bringing Esther Nims up on your horse? 

The year 1755 opened with determined efforts 
on the part of the colonies against the enemy. 
Three important military expeditions were 
planned against the line of French forts con- 
fronting the English settlements : one from Vir- 


358 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


ginia, commanded by General Braddock, with 
young Major Washington as his aide-de-camp, 
against Fort Duquesne on the forks of the 
Ohio; one under Governor Shirley against the 
forts on the Niagara River; and one led by 
Sir William Johnson, with its rendezvous at 
Albany, against Fort St. Frederic at Crown 
Point. 

The New England men enlisted readily for 
this last expedition, hoping to take the fort 
and deal the enemy such a crushing blow as to 
stop the desolating raids into their own terri- 
tory. Nearly a whole regiment enlisted from 
Hampshire County, including many men who 
had served in the border forts. This regiment 
was commanded by Ephraim Williams from 
Fort Massachusetts, now promoted to be col- 
onel; Seth Pomeroy of Northampton was lieu- 
tenant-colonel; Dr. Thomas Williams, surgeon; 
and Rev. Stephen Williams of Longmeadow, 
chaplain. Sergeant Hawks went as a lieuten- 
ant in this regiment, and Aaron Rice as cor- 
poral in the company of Capt. John Burk of 
Bernardston, as Falltown was now called. 

Deerfield continued to be the centre of sup- 
plies for the surrounding forts. Powder and 
lead were carted to Deerfield in quantities from 
Boston and distributed thence on horseback 


THE END. 359 

to the different forts, and more soldiers were sent 
to man these forts. 

Twenty-four of these soldiers were sent to 
Charlemont, but, much to the disturbance of 
the Rices, twelve each were quartered at the 
Hawks and Taylor forts, and none at the 
Rices’. 

^^This seems a strange way to treat you, 
Moses, who were the first settler here, and have 
borne the brunt, trying to found this settle- 
ment,” said Mrs. Rice. cannot understand 
it.” 

^^Oh, we can get along without them I” said 
the captain. We have seven able-bodied men 
of our own, and plenty of lead and powder. 
Besides, I don’t think there is much danger of 
our being attacked now. Indians coming over 
the mountain by the old trail would naturally 
fall first on Hawks’s fort to the west.” 

He did not choose to tell his anxious wife 
that the position of the Rice fort on the hill- 
side, where the enemy could look directly down 
into it from the hill above, was considered too 
exposed for defence, and hence no soldiers were 
stationed there. 

On May 31, Colonel Williams and the Hamp- 
shire County regiment were ordered to march 
to Albany. The withdrawal of so many men 


360 BOYS OF THE BORDER. 

from that section left the borders more unpro- 
tected, and the Indians were not slow in dis- 
covering the fact. 

Early in June, Col. Ebenezer Hinsdale was ill 
at his Deerfield home, while his brave wife had 
gone out to Fort Hinsdale, ^^not being easy to 
stay away these difficult times,’’ as the colonel 
wrote to Col. Israel WiUiams. He also wrote 
that he was Moved with indignation to think 
that a few barbarous wretches should make 
such havoc on our frontier as to kill and capti- 
vate our people, kill our cattle, and fire their 
guns in hearing with great audacity, as we hear 
they Daily Do at No. 4, and none to Repell or 
Silence them.” 

As yet no traces of Indians had been seen in 
or around Charlemont. But the Rices and 
other settlers, feeling the need of caution, 
always went armed to their work in the fields, 
and the women and children were not allowed 
to go far outside the forts. 

One Wednesday morning in June, Captain 
Rice went to work in his cornfield in the 
meadow below his house. 

“Phineas,” he said to young Arms, ^Mt is 
your turn to keep guard to-day.” 

‘‘All right,” said Phineas laughing, as he 
took down his gun. “I’d almost as soon be 


THE END. 361 

pacing up and down this bright morning as to 
be hoeing corn/^ 

Asa, now nearly nine, was proud and happy 
because his grandfather had selected him in- 
stead of his brother Moses to ride horse for him 
to harrow. Artemas and Titus King were also 
to assist the captain. The others were at work 
on another part of the large farm. 

All carried their guns to their work as usual. 
The captain and his helpers stacked their guns 
beside a pile of logs near the western brook 
(called Rice’s Brook), which at that time flowed 
into the Deerfleld near the mouth of Mill Brook. 
The fleld was bounded by Mill Brook on the 
east and Rice’s Brook on the west. 

Phineas paced back and forth, along the edge 
of the fleld, near the present road, from brook 
to brook, the sunlight glinting on the shining 
gun barrel resting on his shoulder. 

The captain guided the harrow, while Asa 
proudly rode up and down the long rows of 
corn, and Artemas and Titus hoed. 

It was such a tempting morning to be out 
that Tamar was glad when her mother said : 

Tamar, I wish you would run down to 
Samuel’s and see if Dorothy can let me have 
some emptins. I must make yeast to-day. 
We’re running short.” 


362 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


^^Come down with me, Freedom, it’s so 
pleasant,” said Tamar. ^^We won’t be gone 
long, mother.” 

The two pretty girls, bareheaded, ran down 
the hill, chatting and laughing, and across the 
meadow to Samuel’s house, noticing, as they 
went, the workers in the cornfield near by. 

^'The men will be hungry enough this noon 
after working in the cornfield all the morning,” 
said Freedom. 

^^They are always hungry enough, for that 
matter, to keep us busy cooking,” said Tamar. 

Their errand done, the girls did not hurry 
home. They could not resist stopping to play 
with little Samuel, nearly two years old, who 
was trotting about outdoors in the sun, his 
cunning baby ways and tricks irresistible. 

Who could imagine, as the sun shone down 
so peacefully on the cheerful workers and the 
happy homes on the bank of the beautiful Deer- 
field, that in the woods on the hill, just above 
the Rice house, lurked six of the St. Francis 
Indians, eager to capture or kill? 

Stealthily these Indians crept down Rice’s 
Brook, behind the thicket of bushes along 
its bank, and lay hid until the workers were 
at the farthest point from their pile of guns. 
Then out rushed the Indians, seizing the guns, 


THE END. 363 

firing them, and rushing upon the defenceless 
men. 

Phineas Arms, shot in the head, fell dead 
in the cornfield. Captain Rice was severely 
wounded in the thigh, and Titus King was 
seized and overpowered. The horse, terrified 
both at the firing and the sight of Indians, ran, 
throwing Asa off. The boy hid in some bushes, 
but was found by the Indians and made pris- 
oner. 

Artemas managed to elude the Indians. 
Hotly pursued by some of them, he ran as boy 
never ran before or since, not even in a race, 
for life is the great prize, and well did Artemas 
know that his chance for life hung on his ability 
to outrun the whooping Indians, close on his 
heels. He ran the five miles to Taylor’s fort, 
bursting in upon the surprised inmates, drop- 
ping, spent and powerless, as he panted out his 
terrible story. 

Upon the ears of the women, chatting happily 
in the sunshine outside Samuel Rice’s door, 
suddenly burst the roar of guns, the blood- 
curdling war whoop of Indians. In the meadow 
they saw the terrible conflict going on. Terror- 
stricken, seizing the younger children, they fled up 
the hill to Rice’s fort, where Mrs. Rice was frantic 
with fear for her husband and the others. 


364 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


They saw the Indians drag away their help- 
less captives up the hill near Mill Brook. It 
was all over in a moment, the blow falling like 
a flash of hghtning. Only an instant, and it is 
past; but the wreck and desolation it may leave 
behind ! 

The Indians dragged Captain Rice about half 
a mile. Though sorely wounded, the captain 
fought heroically for his life. After a fearful 
struggle he was left, scalped and bleeding, to 
die on the hillside. But later in the day 
he was found by his sons, still living, and 
taken to Samuebs house, where he died that 
evening. 

All the calamities Mrs. Rice had dreaded 
seemed now to have fallen upon her with crush- 
ing force. The captain lay dead in the midst 
of his stricken family. Phineas was dead, and 
Artemas, Asa, and Titus had vanished, whether 
slain or captured no one knew. 

Mr. Taylor, on receiving the alarm from Arte- 
mas, bravely set out for Deerfield, travelling 
the seventeen or more miles with such hot haste 
that he returned to his fort late that night with 
twenty-five of the Deerfield men who had 
rushed up to the rescue. They all knew the 
Rices well, many having been hospitably enter- 
tained there by the captain when out scouting, 


THE END. 


365 


and Phineas Arms was a Deerfield boy. Some 
of his brothers were among the rescue party. 
Only five weeks before his death Phineas had 
joined the Deerfield church. Great was the dis- 
may and sorrow felt in Deerfield at the sad 
news of this sudden calamity. 

Early the next morning the men from Deer- 
field and the Taylors went up to the Rices\ 
With them went Artemas, to the joy of his 
family, who had given up all hope of seeing him 
again, supposing him either slain or captured. 
There was nothing to be done now but to bury 
the dead, and comfort as they could the sor- 
rowful family. 

Captain Rice was buried on the hillside near 
his home. His was, fittingly, the first burial 
in Charlemont. Phineas Arms was laid beside 
him. The captain was sixty-one; Phineas, 
twenty-one. Here in this beautiful spot, over- 
looking the home so dear to him, the fair 
meadows through which the Deerfield murmurs 
ceaselessly, the forest-clad mountains beyond, 
the captain’s worn body lies at peace after his 
brave and useful life. The name of this sturdy 
pioneer can never be forgotten, and is per- 
petuated by many worthy descendants. 

Samuel Rice fortified his house on the mead- 
ows, soldiers were stationed there, and the old 


366 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


home on the hill was abandoned until the war 
ended.^ Asa Rice remained a captive in Canada 
six years, being a youth of fifteen when at last 
he returned. 

Titus King was carried to Canada, from there 
to France, and thence to England, whence at 
last he returned home, living in Northampton. 
Such were the stirring possibilities of life in 
those days. A man might eat his breakfast 
and quietly go forth as usual to his morning 
work in field or mill, and come home, after an 
interval of years, by way of Canada, France, 
and England, with many stirring adventures by 
sea and land.^ 

In this same month of June an attack was 
made on Fort Bridgman. Jemima, the young 
widow of William Phipps (who was slain by 
Indians), had married Caleb Howe. Caleb was 
now killed, and his wife Jemima with her seven 
children and others of the settlers carried off to 
Canada. The experiences of Mrs. Howe, ^Hhe 
Fair Captive,’^ as she was called, form one of the 
most interesting chapters of our early history. 
Some of her children were never redeemed. 
Her oldest daughter, Mary Phipps, was taken 
to France, where she married a Frenchman. 

Indian hostilities and death and disaster con- 


1 Appendix E. 


2 Appendix F. 


THE END. 


367 


tinned all along the northern borders. July 22 
came the news of Braddock^s defeat at Fort 
Duquesne, most disheartening to the colonists. 
Governor Shirley^s expedition against Niagara 
was also a failure. Extracts from letters 
written at this time give us pictures of the 
depression of the people. 

Seth Field, writing from Northfield, says: 

Since the disastrous tidings from Ohio, and 
the delay of the Crown Point forces, the mischief 
done above us, together with our circumstances, 
has so discouraged the hearts of our people that 
they are almost ready to give up all, and care 
only for their lives. A fine harvest is on the 
ground, and likely to be lost for want of a 
guard.’’ 

From Fort Hinsdale Colonel Hinsdale wrote 
that the Indians were all around them, killing 
cattle, and ^^was so bold here last week as to 
return our watchword in the night, ^ Sharp — 
all is well.’ A good harvest, but the crop must 
be lost unless a guard is sent.” 

Major Elijah Williams, writing from Deerfield, 
says: “The inhabitants of Greenfield are in 
great distress, and are daily obliged to find 
guards themselves, beside the soldiers that are 
allowed them, — who are but two out every 
day on guard; only two left to keep the garri- 


368 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


sons. We at Deerfield, being reduced by so 
many of our people being gone into the ser- 
vice of the province that we have but about 
seventy men left in the town, and how we shall 
be able to get hay to keep our stock and seed 
our ground I know not.^^ From Colerain and 
other points came similar tales of Indians hov- 
ering around, and inadequate guards to protect 
the harvest gatherers. 

Sir William Johnson, commander of the ex- 
pedition to Crown Point, after a long delay, 
finally left Albany with his troops in August, 
and encamped at the upper end of Lake George, 
fourteen miles northwest of Fort Edward. An 
army of about two thousand French and Indians, 
under Baron Dieskau, landed near Whitehall, 
and began marching towards Fort Edward. 

On hearing this, Johnson despatched Col. 
Ephraim Williams with the Hampshire regi- 
ment and two hundred friendly Indians led by 
their chief, Hendrick, to intercept the enemy. 
Dieskau contrived to ensnare these forces, so 
inferior in numbers to his own, in a skilfully 
prepared ambush. A desperate battle followed, 
beginning at six in the morning and lasting all 
day, in which Colonel Williams and Hendrick 
were slain. Baron Dieskau was wounded and 
captured by the English, his wounds being 


THE END. 


369 


dressed by Dr. Thomas Williams. This battle 
was long known as 'Hhe Bloody Morning 
Scout. 

While delaying at Albany, Col. Ephraim Wil- 
liams, feeling, it is said, a strong presentiment 
of impending death, drew up a will. He was 
anxious to do something for the children of his 
old comrades who were taking up lands and 
settling around Fort Massachusetts. He left 
the bulk of his property for a free school in the 
township near and west of Fort Massachusetts, 
requesting that the town be called ^^Williams- 
town.’’ Thuswas Williams College founded and 
endowed, an outcome of the old military life at 
Fort Massachusetts and the border forts during 
the French and Indian wars that could little 
have been foreseen.^ 

The war continued until the decisive battle 
on the Plains of Abraham between the forces 
led by Montcalm and Wolfe ended in the fall 
of Quebec, Sept. 18, 1759. In July, Fort Ti- 
conderoga had fallen into the hands of Gen- 
eral Amherst, and in September Amherst sent 
out Major Rogers to destroy the Indian village 
at St. Francis, whence so many bloody raids 
had been made on the borders. The expedition 
was successful, and the exploits of Rogers” 

* Appendix G. 

24 


370 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


Rangers effectually put an end to trouble 
from St. Francis. 

On Sept. 8, 1760, Montreal was surrendered 
by Vaudreuil to Amherst. The war was ended, 
and with it the French dominion on this con- 
tinent. 

Canada was now under English rule. The 
people of New England rested secure in the 
knowledge that the bloody ravages desolating 
their borders for nearly a century had for- 
ever ceased. Fostered by peace, the settle- 
ments already founded began to grow rapidly. 

Captain Rice^s sons dwelt on the ample lands 
secured to them by their father^s labor, fore- 
sight, and indomitable pluck, and were all 
honored and useful citizens. Sylvanus married 
Esther Nims, daughter of John Nims of Deer- 
field, in 1760. He did valiant service in the 
Revolution ; was captain of a company of 
^^minutemen,’^ and, when he led his company 
to the aid of New London, patriotically mort- 
gaged his farm to raise the necessary means for 
equipments. Tamar married John Weils, a 
Deerfield boy of the old Wells family, descended 
from Thomas Wells of Hadley. They settled 
in Deerfield Northwest, later called Shelburne. 

Mrs. Rice lived many years after her hus- 
band^s death, dying in 1788, making her home 


THE END. 


371 


with her son Aaron, one of the most intelligent, 
prominent, and useful citizens of Charlemont. 
Artemas lived on the eastern section of his 
father's land. He married, first, Mary Stevens; 
and second, Catherine Taylor of Deerfield, niece 
of Othniel, and daughter of the John Taylor 
who accompanied Hawks on his trip to Canada 
with St. Blein. 

The soldiers who, during the French and 
Indian wars, had so often in scouting traversed 
the northern tract now included in the state of 
Vermont, had not failed to notice the fertile 
meadows and wooded hills, the flowing streams, 
all unclaimed, and by the year 1765 Governor 
Wentworth had made grants for 138 townships 
in that section. Promising settlements were 
growing at Bellows Falls, Windsor, Manchester, 
Bennington, Burlington, St. Albans, Vergennes, 
and Rutland, among others. 

Although the colonists might congratulate 
themselves that the desolating French and 
Indian wars were at last happily ended, already 
heavy clouds, presaging another storm, began 
to darken the political horizon. Much dis- 
satisfaction had arisen with the mother country. 
A new generation was now to the fore in Amer- 
ica, a generation born on the soil, hardened 
and disciplined in the Indian wars, filled with 


372 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


the spirit of youthful independence, with ties 
to England less strong than those of their 
fathers. Wise men, on both sides, foreboded 
a coming conflict between the colonies and 
England. 

“For all what you Americans say of your 
loyalty,’’ observed Pratt, the attorney-general 
(better known in America as Lord Camden), to 
Franklin, “and notwithstanding your boasted 
affection, you will one day set up for inde- 
pendence.” 

“No such idea,” replied Franklin sincerely, 
“is entertained by Americans, or ever will be, 
unless you grossly abuse them.” 

“Very true,” rejoined Pratt; “that I see 
will happen and will produce the event.”' 

He predicted truly. An uneasy peace of 
only twenty years’ duration was to be followed 
by another war, the war of the Revolution. 

' Bancroft’s History of the United States, Vol. IV., p. 380. 


APPENDIX A. 


The old Allen house still stands at the Bars, doubly 
interesting, not only as a relic of the past, but for certain 
other associations alluded to by Mr. George Sheldon in 
his ‘‘History of Deerfield,” page 528, where he says: 

“The old brown mansion, where the squaw kept her 
best blanket, moccasins and wampum, still standing on 
the Allen homestead, where it has braved the storms of 
more than seven score winters, had become in these 
later years the studio of George Fuller. Opposite stands 
the house where he was born, and where his life struggle 
went on, his great power unseen and unfelt. Each day 
he saw the slant rays of the sun light up the broad front 
of the old house across the way, and at nightfall, when 
he played his boyish games on the almost unbroken green 
stretching between, he saw its dark bulk, with its huge 
chimney, loom up against the western sky. It was in 
this house that his deepest aspirations took on form and 
color. It was here, in the quiet atmosphere and sur- 
roundings of the Bars, that his masterpieces were con- 
ceived and brought forth, and not in the stirring, busy 
metropolis of New England. 

“The Pocumtuck chieftain may never again return to 
this classic ground, and he himself is but a faded memory; 
but his favorite haunt will be forever immortalized by 
the name and fame of George Fuller.” 


374 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


APPENDIX B. 

Mr. David Avery, a Charlemont centenarian wno 
recently passed away, was wont to give reminiscences of 
the early days there. His father took up a tract of land 
a mile square in the wilderness at Charlemont, building 
a log house upon it, a few years prior to 1780. To illus- 
trate the abundance of game in Charlemont at that 
time, Mr Avery stated that his father, a noted hunter, 
in one year shot nineteen bears, thirty wolves, sixty deer, 
and two moose. 


APPENDIX C. 

The various Williamses who were prominent figures 
at this time may need some explanation. Col. Israel 
Williams of Hatfield was the son of Rev. William Williams, 
for many years the minister at Hatfield. Rev. William 
Williams was own cousin to Rev. John Williams, the 
^‘Redeemed Captive.’! He married the daughter of Rev. 
Solomon Stoddard of Northampton. 

Capt. Elijah Williams was the youngest son of Rev. 
John Williams of Deerfield by his second wife, a prominent 
man in Deerfield, filling many important positions. 

Capt. William Williams was a grandson of Rev. William 
Williams. 

Capt. Ephraim Williams and his brother. Dr. Thomas 
Williams, were nephews of Rev. William Williams, and 
own cousins to Col. Israel Williams and Col. John Stod- 
dard. All the Williamses were connected by various 
degress of cousinship, and descended from Robert Williams 
of Roxbury. 


APPENDIX. 


375 


APPENDIX D. 

•LUCE ^BIJAH^S POEM. 

August, was the twenty-fifth, 

Seventeen hundred and forty-six. 

The Indians did in ambush lay. 

Some very valiant men to slay. 

The names of whom I’ll not leave out; 

Samuel Allen like a hero font, 

And though he was so brave and bold. 

His face no more shall we behold. 

Eleazer Hawks was killed outright. 

Before he had time to fight, — 

Before he did the Indians see. 

Was shot and killed immediately. 

Oliver Amsden he was slain, 

Which caused his friends much grief and pain. 
Simeon Amsden they found dead 
Not many rods distant from his head. 

Adonijah Gillett, we do hear. 

Did lose his life which was so dear. 

John Saddler fled across the water, 

And thus escaped the dreadful slaughter. 
Eunice Allen saw the Indians coming. 

And hopes to save herself by running; 

And had not her petticoats stopped her. 

The awful creatures had not catched her. 

Nor tommy hawked her on the head. 

And left her on the ground for dead. 

Young Samuel Allen, oh, lackadayl 
Was taken and carried to Canada. 


376 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


APPENDIX E. 

The majestic old buttonball tree, that stood there when 
all around was primitive wilderness, still stands on the 
hillside in Charlemont. It is pleasant to know that 
Charles Dudley Warner passed his boyhood in the house 
standing on the site of Captain Rice’s under the button- 
ball, and that the delightful book, “Being a Boy,” de- 
scribes his boyhood amid these scenes. In “Being a 
Boy,” he says (page 225): “Under the broad but scanty 
shade of the great buttonball tree (as it was called) stood 
an old watering trough with its half-decayed penstock 
and well-worn spout pouring forever cold, sparkling water 
into the overflowing trough. It is fed by a spring near by, 
and the water is sweeter and colder than any in the known 
world, unless it be the well Zem-Zem, as generations of 
people and horses which have drunk of it would testify, if 
they could come back. And if they could file along this 
road again, what a procession there would be riding down 
the valley!” 

Another allusion is this: “The chief point of interest, 
however, is an enormous sycamore tree by the roadside 
and in front of John’s house. The house is more than a 
century old, and its timbers were hewed and squared by 
Capt. Moses Rice, who lies in his grave on the hillside 
above it.”. This, of course, alludes to the second house 
built by Captain Rice. 

Speaking of “playing Indian,” Mr. Warner says: “Tradi- 
tions of Indian cruelty were still fresh in Western Massa- 
chusetts. Behind John’s house in the orchard were some 
old slate tombstones, sunken and leaning, which recorded 
the names of Capt. Moses Rice and Phineas Arms, who 


APPENDIX. 


377 


had been killed by Indians in the last century while at 
work in the meadow by the river and who slept there in 
the hope of a glorious resurrection. ... It was a quiet 
place where they lay, but they might have heard — if 
hear they could — the loud, continuous roar of the Deer- 
field, and the stirring of the long grass on that sunny 
slope. There was a tradition that an Indian, probably 
the last of his race, had been seen moving along the crest 
of the mountain, and gazing down into the lovely valley 
which had been the favorite home of his tribe, upon the 
fields where he grew his corn, and the sparkling stream 
whence he drew his fish. John used to fancy at times, as 
he sat there, that he could see that red spectre gliding 
among the trees on the hill,’’ etc. 

“Being a Boy” is strongly commended to young 
readers, who will find in it many pictures of boy life on 
the farm where the Rice boys played. 


APPENDIX F. 

In 1871 a monument to Captain Rice was erected at 
his grave on the hillside by his great-great-grandson, 
Orlando B. Potter of New York, It was dedicated 
Aug. 2, 1871, by the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Asso- 
ciation. The Association’s report says: “One of the 
largest gatherings ever assembled in Pocumtuck Valley 
was attracted to the beautiful town to participate in the 
day’s celebration.!! 

The inscription on the south side of the monument 
reads : 


378 


BOYS OF THE BORDER. 


CAPT. MOSES RICE 

THE FIRST SETTLER OF CHARLEMONT, 

BORN AT SUDBURY, OCT. 27, 1694 
MARRIED SARAH KING OF S., NOV. 1 6, 1719 
REMOVED TO CHARLEMONT 1 742 
KILLED BY THE INDIANS, JUNE II, 175 $. 

On the west side: 

PHINEAS ARMS 

BORN AT DEERFIELD, OCT. 4, 1 73 1 
KILLED BY THE INDIANS WITH 
CAPT. RICE 

AND BURIED AT HIS SIDE. 

The remaining sides of the monument bear the names 
of Captain Rice^s children, all of whom are buried on the 
hillside beside their father. 

The report further says: 

^^The monument was erected under the direc- 
tion of Hon. Joseph White of Williamstown, the 
Secretary of the State Board of Education, a 
native of Charlemont, and a descendant of Moses 
Rice. In digging for the foundation, the remains 
of the slain men were found in a remarkable state 
of preservation. The skull of Rice showed the 
marks of the Indian tomahawk, and the fatal 
bullet fell from that of Arms, when it was being 
examined.” 

This bullet, which killed Phineas Arms, is now in the 
Clark Museum at Williams College. In the course of his 


APPENDIX 


379 


address on this occasion, Mr. White said that “a portion 
of the house now standing was built by Captain Rice and 
son in 1750,” and he showed “how far the farm of 2,000 
acres extended, and the 200 acres on the opposite shore” 
of the Deerfield. 


APPENDIX G. 

The site of Fort Massachusetts was wholly unmarked 
until 1859, when Prof. A. L. Perry of Williams College, 
author of “Origins in Williamstown,” whose interest in 
all relating to Fort Massachusetts was great, planted a 
fine elm tree on the spot indicated to him by one in whose 
knowledge he had confidence as the centre of the fort’s 
old parade ground. This tree is now large and stately. 
Yet it seems as if some more permanent memorial should 
be placed on the spot, with a suitable inscription. Wil- 
liams College might fittingly attend to this matter. 


I 

V 


I 


1 


New Colonial Stories for Young People 

OLD DEERFIELD SERIES 

By MARY P. WELLS SMITH 
Author of “The Young Puritans Series,” “Jolly Good Times 
Series,” etc. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth. $1.25 each. 


A new series of colonial stories 
by the popular author of “ The 
Young Puritans Series” devoted to 
the attack on Deerfield in Western 
Massachusetts by the French and 
subsequent events. To a vivid imag- 
ination has been added careful histor- 
ical research. 

i. The Boy Captive of Old 
\JDeerfield 

Mrs. Smith is the first to use the 
story of Stephen Williams, the cap- 
tured son of Parson Williams, and 
his adventures among the Indians 
will be new to all young readers. 

The descriptions of Indian ways are 
Boston Journal. 

2. The Boy Captive in Canada 

TeUs in a life-like manner young Stephen’s adventures 
during his wanderings as captive. — Philadelphia Press. 

S. Boys of the Border 

Filled with life and incident, this book narrates events in 
the Deerfield valley from 1746 to 1755 as they affected the 
Rice family. 


LITTLE, BROWN, & CO., Publishers 

254. WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON 



faithful to truth.— 


XEbe l^ouno Ipudtans Series 

By Mary P. Wells Smith 

Author of " The Jolly Good Times '* Series 

THE YOUNG PURITANS OF OLD HADLEY. 

THE YOUNG PURITANS IN KING PHILIP’S WAR, 
THE YOUNG PURITANS IN CAPTIVITY. 

THE YOUNG AND OLD PURITANS OF HATFIELD. 

Clothy 12 mo ^ Illustrated^ each^ $1*25. 


Mrs. Smith deserves very hearty commendation for the admirable 
pictures of Puritan life which are drawn with a skilful hand in this book. 
She has chosen a representative Puritan village as the scene, and the 
period of very early settlement of western Massachusetts for her story, a 
village which retains many of its early features to this day. Mrs. Smith 
knows the people of whom she writes thoroughly, and holds them in 
high and loving esteem. Even the most prejudiced reader can hardly 
close this book without seeing in these genuine Puritan people a phase of 
human life at once fine in its courage, its endurance of terrible hardships, 
and not unbeautiful in its childlike acceptance of God’s dealings and its 
daily hunger and thirst after righteousness. — The Churchman. 

THE YOUNG PURITANS OF OLD HADLEY. 12 ma 
Cloth. Illustrated. I1.25. 

A capital colonial story. — Congregationalist, Boston. 

She catches the very spirit of Puritan life. — Chicago Infer-Oeean. 

The work has historic value as we as unique interest. — Liliak 
Whiting, in Chicago Inter-Ocean. 

An excellent book for school libraries. — Literary News, New York. 

The adventures of the boys while hunting, the trapping of wolves and 
panthers, which infested the forests in those early days, the encounters 
with the Indians, friendly and otherwise, are incidents which make up a 
book which will fascinate all young readers. — San Francisco Bulletin. 

The author has studied her subject carefully ; and the pictures of this 
life, extinct, yet still blood of our blood and bone of our bone, have 
unusual interest. — Chicago Dial. 

Mrs. Smith has proven that she can write as simple and natural a 
story of child-life when the scene is laid two hundred and fifty years ago 
as when she chooses to describe country life in the New England of the 
present century. — Christian Register. 




THE YOUNG PURITANS IN KING PHILIP’S WAR, 
Illustrated by L. J. Bridgman. 12 mo. Cloth. $1.25. 

From a letter written the author by Bishop F. D. Huntington, Syra- 
cuse, N. Y. ; “Have read all the pages through, every word, — finding 
the whole volume readable, entertaining, and satisfactory. Of course I 
feel rather competent to say that, in the phraseology, the territorial de- 
scriptions, the geography, the account of customs, language, family habits, 
natural phenomena, you are singularly correct, accurate, and felicitous.” 

Mrs. Smith seems to have caught the very breath and echo of those 
old days, and she makes one seem not to be merely reading of those 
Puritans and their constant struggles with their savage neighbors, but 
to be actually beholding them. — Jersey City Evening Journal. 

The history of the seventeenth century in New England would gain 
new life when read in the light of such books. — Christian Endeavor 
Herald. 

THE YOUNG PURITANS IN CAPTIVITY. Illustrated 
by Jessie Willcox Smith. 12 mo. Cloth. $1.25. 

Nothing could be more interesting than the period of which this story 
treats, and the author has handled the subject in a manner that is highly 
creditable. The reader will be for the nonce a Puritan, and will follow 
the adventures of three children taken captive by the Indians, feeling 
that he is a participant in the scenes so well portrayed. He will sleep in 
the Indians’ wigwam and breathe the odor of the pines. He will paddle 
a canoe upon the broad waters of the Connecticut, when New England 
was but a wilderness, and get an insight into Indian nature which he 
probably never had before. — Sacramento Bee. 

She shows the same power of graphic description, the same faithful use 
of the best available material, and the same logical way of putting it into 
shape. — Commercial Advertiser^ N. Y. 

Mrs. Smith has made history live again in her life-like narrative. The 
children of to-day may well learn something of the sterner virtues in 
reading this story of the endurance and fortitude of children of two 
centuries ago. — Springjield Republican. 

THE YOUNG AND OLD PURITANS OF HATFIELD, 
Illustrated by Bertha C. Day. i2mo. $ 1 . 2 ^. 


LITTLE, BROWN, & CO., Publishers, 

254 WASHINGTON STREET. BOSTON. 


Bright, Ltvety, and E njoya^ 


“Jolly Good Times” Series 

By Mary P. Wells Smith 


JOLLY GOOD TIMES; or, Child Life on a Farm. 
JOLLY GOOD TIMES AT SCHOOL ; also, Some Times 


NOT so Jolly. 

THE BROWNS. 

THEIR CANOE TRIP. 
JOLLY GOOD TIMES AT 
HACKM.ATACK. 

MORE GOOD TIMES AT 
HACKMATACK. 

JOLLY GOOD TIMES TO- 
DAY. 

A JOLLY GOOD SUMMER. 

With IllMstrations, iimo^ 
clothe $1.25 />er volume. 

The set of eight volumeSy uni- 
formly bound in clothy gilty in 
a boXy $10.00. 



Of these stories the Boston “ Transcript ” says : “ Few series of juve- 
nile books appeal more strongly to children than the ‘Jolly Good Times* 
Series, written by Mary P. Wells Smith. The naturalness of the sto- 
ries, their brightness, their truth to boy and girl life and character, and 
the skill with which the author manages incident and dialogue, have 
given them deserved popularity.” 

It is Mrs. Smith's happy ability to take the incidents of child-life,— 
such a life as any child of bright mind and sweet character, blessed with 
the surroundings of a good home, might have, — and to record them with 
such faithfulness to the child’s character, and yet with such charm in the 
narrative, as to make them engagingly interesting to other children. — 
Gazette and Courier, Greenfield, Mass. 


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